SJR 9-NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM    CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT said SJR 9 was the next order of business. He asked Senator Leman to give his statement. SENATOR LEMAN thanked Chairman Therriault for the timely scheduling of the resolution. He said that the United States reigns supreme as the last great superpower, but there is still no ability to protect the nation from ballistic missile attack. He cited the Department of Defense (DoD) report titled "Proliferation: Threat and Response" pointing up the growing threat the U.S. faces from foreign nations developing missile technology. Former Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen wrote that at least 25 countries possess or are working on the capability to inflict nuclear, chemical or biological harm. They are working on either the weapons or a means of delivering them. General Norton Schwartz said much the same thing in his report delivered to the Joint Armed Services Committee on January 30, 2001. He cited trouble areas in North Korea, Iran and Iraq. In response to the perceived threats, the U.S. has been developing a national missile defense system, but it has yet to be built. Although Alaska has been mentioned as a preferred alternative for the location of key system components like the radar site and location of the ground based interceptor sites, there are unanswered questions such as design type, deployment location and building timeline. Number 650 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield feels that the 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union is outdated. According to this treaty, Alaska is not an eligible site. Current thinking is that Alaska is the only location that would provide defense of all 50 states. During the campaign, President Bush said he supported development of the National Missile Defense System and Alaska's delegation is supportive as well. The resolution encourages President Bush to move development forward as soon as technologically possible. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT asked for questions for Senator Leman. Seeing none, he called on Leanna Dube from Delta Junction to testify via teleconference. LEANNA DUBE said she works for the City of Delta Junction and that the economy of Delta Junction continues to suffer from the downsizing of Fort Greeley. The national missile deployment environmental impact statement of 2000 identifies Fort Greeley as the preferred alternative for placement of the ground based interceptor and command and control elements. The City of Delta Junction therefore, supports both SJR 9 and SB 39 as a means of revitalizing the economy of the area. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT asked Ms. Dube to fax a copy of her letter to him at (907) 465-3884. He asked for any other questions or anyone else wanting to testify. There were none. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT noted that there was a zero fiscal note accompanying the resolution. He asked for amendments. There were none. He asked for the rule of the committee. SENATOR PHILLIPS made a motion to move SJR 9 and fiscal note to the next committee of referral. There were no objections.