HB 125-LAO/HMONG VETERAN DRIVER'S LIC. & ID CARD    3:40:05 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 125, "An Act relating to a veteran's designation on an identification card or a driver's license for Hmong veterans and Lao veterans." 3:40:28 PM REPRESENTATIVE GERAN TARR, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 125, stated that the intent of HB 125 is to recognize Hmong veterans living in Alaska for their service to the country by designating their driver's licenses. She offered that many people do not know about the service of the Hmong veterans. During the Vietnam War, there was a United Nations (UN) agreement that forbid the U.S. from committing U.S. troops in Laos. As a result, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) launched a covert operation training and funding Hmong soldiers: first to retrieve the bodies of pilots whose planes had crashed; and then to block supplies and attack North Vietnamese and Communist troops. An estimated 30,000 people, more than 10 percent of the Hmong population in Laos, were killed in the war, and about 100,000 Hmong became refugees inside Laos; and it remains a hostile situation for those refugees to this day. REPRESENTATIVE TARR said that beginning in the late 1970s, the U.S. and other nations began resettling the Hmong; currently 6,000 Hmong live in Alaska. She relayed that it has been more than 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, but Hmong veterans have never received proper recognition for their service. There have been efforts at the national level: U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced legislation in Congress that would allow Hmong veterans to be buried in national cemeteries [Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act]. Representative Tarr maintained that General Vang Pao, a well-known leader in the Hmong [American] community, wished to be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery upon his death, but the law did not allow it. REPRESENTATIVE TARR relayed that the proposed legislation would allow a designation on a driver's license identifying the individual as a veteran, thus making him/her eligible for any services or benefits available to someone with such a designation. She requested the committee to move the proposed legislation forward; there are only a few dozen people who would qualify; they can verify their service; and they are in their sixties and seventies. She expressed her hope that Alaska can honor their service before they've all passed away. 3:43:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH pointed out the many letters of support for the proposed legislation. REPRESENTATIVE TARR confirmed there were about 435 letters demonstrating strong support for HB 125. REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked if the Hmong soldiers were in the employ of U.S. as military personnel. He asked, in what capacity were they working - as mercenaries, independents, or employees? REPRESENTATIVE TARR replied that because direct military involvement was forbidden by the UN agreement, the Hmong involvement was a covert operation and was often referred to as the "Secret War." The CIA recruited young Hmong individuals to fight alongside American soldiers; some were as young as eight, nine, and ten years old. They were told that they would receive recognition for their service. REPRESENTATIVE TARR relayed that former President William Clinton signed legislation [Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000] easing the U.S. citizenship requirements for Hmong immigrants who fought in the Secret War. There have been several iterations of the legislation introduced by Senator Murkowski. Representative Tarr maintained that it is an important story to tell; many Americans are unaware of it; U.S. always honors veterans for their service; and many Hmong died fighting alongside of U.S. soldiers. REPRESENTATIVE TARR quoted the testimony of Chue Chou Tchang, the national chairman of the Special Guerrilla Unit - an association of Hmong fighters in the U.S. Speaking through an interpreter, Mr. Tchang stated, "We were American soldiers fighting alongside American soldiers. We fought like brothers. We died together. Coming to this country, we'd like to rest with the American soldiers that fought with us." REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked if the former Hmong soldiers qualified as veterans at the federal level, and the proposed legislation would allow them to qualify as veterans at the state level. REPRESENTATIVE TARR answered that the shame is that they don't qualify as veterans; they receive no veterans benefits such as medical care or pensions; and they are not permitted to be buried in national cemeteries. She stated that it has been an ongoing effort to recognize their service in some way. She maintained that the state has jurisdiction over license plates, but that would confer only social recognition, not personal benefit. She asserted that with the driver's license designation, they could receive local veteran discounts. 3:47:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX expressed her support for HB 125. She opined that the necessity for this legislation is sad; these Hmong were promised that they would be treated as veterans; and it is unfortunate when promises are made and not kept. She pointed out a similar situation with Filipino soldiers, who fought with the U.S. during World War II but never received the compensation that they were promised. She maintained that the Filipino veterans did not receive recognition or compensation until the [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009] was passed; the issue was very important to Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, who advocated for it. She said that the Filipinos who finally received recognition were in their eighties and nineties. REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX maintained that at the state level, not much more can be done than what is proposed by HB 125. She noted that HJR 17 has been introduced encouraging Congress to allow Hmong veterans burial rights at national ceremonies. She maintained that the fact that General Chue Chou Tchang, who wanted desperately to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, was not permitted to be buried at a national cemetery is a tragedy and a travesty. REPRESENTATIVE TARR concurred. She mentioned that the Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act, introduced by Senator Murkowski, identifies two very specific categories of people. The first is someone who was naturalized pursuant to the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000 and who resided in the United State at the time of death. The second is someone who the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) determined served with a special guerrilla unit or irregular forces operating from a base in Laos in support of the U.S. Armed Forces between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, and who at the time of death resided in the United States and was a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. REPRESENTATIVE TARR stated that under the proposed legislation she believes the number of people who would qualify is 48. She maintained that the Hmong veterans have indicated to her that they are very proud of their service and are proud to be American citizens. As an ethnic minority in Laos, losing 30,000 of their number was a devastating blow to their community. They had to resettle elsewhere and reinvigorate their community. She maintained that it is time that Alaska honors their service. 3:52:19 PM VERDIE BOWEN, Director, Veterans Affairs (VA), testified that the Hmong served in Laos in locations where the U.S. Armed Forces could not and would not because of the laws in existence. They were enlisted by the CIA to perform the functions of setting up listening posts and radar sites to observe the enemy. He maintained that the most significant aspect of their service was that about 30,000 Hmong soldiers faced over 75,000 North Vietnamese soldiers - a much stronger force. He said that most of the Hmong were young men and children; they were able to hold their own; and at the end of the war they immigrated to the U.S. He mentioned that he is not clear on all the promises made to the Hmong by the CIA, as they were not recorded, but he believes that there were many. MR. BOWEN offered that the designation on the driver's licenses under the proposed legislation would accomplish two things: it would provide them the ability to receive some benefits; and it would provide these Hmong fighters living in Alaska a "thank you" from people who recognize their service. He said that the only time Alaskans become aware of Hmong veterans is on Memorial Day in May, and that would be a good time to pass the proposed legislation. This legislation would serve to thank the Hmong for their service and showcase support for Senator Murkowski's proposed legislation authorizing burial in national cemeteries. 3:54:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH relayed that he supports the proposed legislation; it is arguably 40 to 50 years late; but the country is "late to the table" in thanking its Vietnam [War] veterans as well. REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX asked if military officers may attend Veterans Day and Memorial Day events in their military capacity. MR. BOWEN answered, yes, they are. He added that a Hmong memorial was placed at the Arlington National Cemetery sometime around 2003 or 2004. He maintained that military officers may attend those events. 3:56:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked if veteran organizations have commented on the proposed legislations. REPRESENTATIVE TARR responded that many of the 435 signed letters of support had been distributed through Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) halls; and in many cases the post with which a Hmong veteran was associated was included with the signature. She said that the Hmong veteran groups work closely with local VFW posts; she mentioned several collaborative efforts. She stated that as far as she is aware, every indication points to solidarity and support of one group for the other. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON stated that although she does not discount the service of the Hmong fighting for their own rights in their own homeland, it is different from a United States military veteran. She said that she supported legislation recognizing African American soldiers working on the Alaska Highway [SB 46, signed into law 5/1/17]; she offered that if legislators begin identifying foreign collaborators in the multiple overseas situations involving the CIA, then there are many more to be considered, such as the Iraqi collaborators. She maintained that offering the Hmong asylum in the U.S. is warranted, but she relayed that she does not want to take anything away from the U.S. military veterans who fought "in a foreign war in a foreign country to defend people." She maintained that she does not think the two groups should be interchangeable. REPRESENTATIVE TARR responded that this situation is different; the Hmong soldiers fought alongside American soldiers instead of being like a traditional ally. They were fighting for the Americans in this instance; there is a specific designation for people who would qualify; and there are specific service dates that need to be verified. MR. BOWEN referred to a document modeled after the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) application, which would be verified against the records that the Hmong currently have showing that they fought during the [specified] period. He said that what makes the Hmong unique is the fact that prior to the war, they had no country; they were people of the hills. They aligned themselves with the CIA and the U.S. thinking that the U.S. would bring them to the U.S. to provide them a home. Because of how the war ended, that did not happen. To this day the Hmong are continuously hunted and killed by the (indisc.) communists. He reiterated that they are a people with no country or place, except the U.S. as they immigrate to the U.S. 4:02:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL pointed out that the legislation proposes a veteran's designation on an identification card or driver's license, not a full on veteran status. About Representative Johnson's point, he gave the example of the U.S. Armed Forces fighting alongside the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan against the Taliban at the time the U.S. first sent soldiers to that country. He mentioned that the U.S. has had the support of foreign forces often, and sometimes members of these foreign forces have been offered asylum. REPRESENTATIVE TARR reiterated that under the proposed legislation, the Hmong would not receive Veterans heath care benefits or pensions. It would merely offer them some local discounts. 4:04:04 PM MAI XIONG, Hmong Alaska Community Inc., testified that she supported HB 125. She stated that the Hmong were recruited by the CIA to help the U.S. win the war. (indisc.) She stated that her dad is also a veteran who fought in that war. She maintained that the Hmong were brought to America because the U.S. lost the war, not because they wanted to come to the U.S. She expressed that she supported the designated driver's license under the proposed legislation. She mentioned that the Hmong have been in the U.S. for over 42 years and are just asking for this one thing. (indisc.) CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that HB 125 would be held over.