ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
February 24, 2009
1:06 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Carl Gatto, Chair
Representative John Harris
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Kurt Olson
Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch
Representative Scott Kawasaki
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Jay Ramras
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 7
Relating to awarding the Alaska Decoration of Honor to certain
members of the military.
- MOVED HCR 7 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10
Urging the United States Congress to improve health care for
veterans.
- MOVED CSHJR 10(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16
Relating to federal procurement preferences for small businesses
in the state that are owned and controlled by service-disabled
veterans.
- MOVED HJR 16 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HCR 7
SHORT TITLE: DECORATION OF HONOR
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) DAHLSTROM
02/11/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/11/09 (H) MLV
02/24/09 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HJR 10
SHORT TITLE: VETERANS' HEALTH CARE
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) GUTTENBERG
01/30/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/30/09 (H) MLV, STA, HSS
02/24/09 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HJR 16
SHORT TITLE: DISABLED VETERANS PROCUREMENT PREFERENCE
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) GATTO
02/09/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/09/09 (H) MLV, L&C
02/24/09 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
LAURA PIERRE, Staff
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HCR 7 on behalf of
Representative Dahlstrom, prime sponsor.
CHRIS REID, Intern
Representative David Guttenberg
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HJR 10 on behalf of
Representative Guttenberg, prime sponsor.
SHELLEY HUGHES, Government Affairs Director
Alaska Primary Care Association (APCA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 10.
MCHUGH PIERRE, Legislative Liaison
Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA)
Fort Richardson, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered a question during the hearing on
HJR 10.
SANDRA WILSON, Staff
Representative Carl Gatto
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HJR 16 on behalf of
Representative Gatto, prime sponsor.
AMBER SAWYER
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 16.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:06:25 PM
CHAIR CARL GATTO called the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:06 p.m.
Representatives Gatto, Lynn, Olson, and Buch were present at the
call to order. Representatives Kawasaki and Harris arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
HCR 7 - DECORATION OF HONOR
CHAIR GATTO announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 7, Relating to awarding the
Alaska Decoration of Honor to certain members of the military.
1:07:32 PM
LAURA PIERRE, staff to Representative Nancy Dahlstrom, Alaska
State Legislature, introduced HCR 7 on behalf of Representative
Dahlstrom, prime sponsor. She explained that in 2007, the
legislature created the Decoration of Honor medal to be given to
the next of kin of a member of the military, stationed in
Alaska, who was killed in action. House Concurrent Resolution 7
adds the names of six individuals who were killed during the
period between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008. If
passed, each of their families will receive a medal at the
ceremony in Anchorage on May 23, 2009.
1:08:31 PM
CHAIR GATTO noted that members' packets include the names of 171
individuals previously approved to receive the medal.
MS. PIERRE said the resolution adds six names to that list.
1:09:30 PM
CHAIR GATTO, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HCR 7.
1:10:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS moved to report HCR 7 out of committee
with individual recommendations and [zero] fiscal note. There
being no objection, HCR 7 was reported from the House Special
Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
1:10:25 PM
HJR 10 - VETERANS' HEALTH CARE
CHAIR GATTO announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10, Urging the United States Congress
to improve health care for veterans.
1:10:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HJR 10, Version 26-LS0313\E, Bailey,
2/24/09, as the work draft. There being no objection, Version E
was before the committee.
1:11:20 PM
CHRIS REID, intern to Representative David Guttenberg, Alaska
State Legislature, introduced HJR 10 on behalf of Representative
Guttenberg, prime sponsor. Ms. Reid said HJR 10 encourages the
U.S. Congress to improve health care for U. S. veterans.
Although there are many programs available for veterans, the
existing programs need improvement, especially for veterans
living in rural areas of Alaska. Furthermore, HJR 10 encourages
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to partner with
community health care services. She addressed the changes in
Version E of the resolution and explained the fifth "Whereas"
now includes a reference to "post-traumatic stress syndrome."
In addition, after research indicated that having a VA hospital
in Alaska would require all veterans to travel there for care,
even though it may be better for veterans to remain in their
communities with family, the reference to a VA hospital was
deleted from the sixth "Whereas." Ms. Reid then pointed out
that the last nine "Whereas" clauses have been incorporated into
HJR 10 with the recommendation of Shelley Hughes, Government
Affairs Director, Alaska Primary Care Association (APCA).
1:15:04 PM
SHELLEY HUGHES, Government Affairs Director, Alaska Primary Care
Association, informed the committee that her husband is a
Vietnam veteran and her son served three tours in Iraq. She
then relayed that clinics across the state are caring for
veterans in outlying areas who do not have access to their
earned health care. The criteria for approval of veteran's
travel prevent veterans from obtaining health care in veteran
facilities; therefore, community clinics are providing care
without reimbursement. The APCA is trying to resolve this
problem, but progress is slow and mired in federal red tape.
She explained that the APCA is of the opinion that there needs
to be collaboration at the federal level between the VA,
community health centers, and Tribal health clinics. For
example, one of the barriers has been the VA's use of the
Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS). Ms. Hughes also
emphasized the need for health care for current returning
veterans and for aging veterans with increasing health needs.
She reiterated her agency's support of the resolution.
1:17:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH, noting that a new VA facility is under
construction at Elmendorf Air Force Base, asked how that
facility would be defined, and also asked for its functions and
capabilities.
1:18:26 PM
MCHUGH PIERRE, Legislative Liaison, Department of Military &
Veterans' Affairs, explained that the new facility is a
veteran's hospital/clinic, but is not a full-scale hospital like
those in the Lower 48. The facility will be joined by the
existing new base hospital that serves Elmendorf Air Force Base
and Fort Richardson Army Base service members. The two
facilities will be connected via a sky bridge in order to share
care. Mr. Pierre pointed out the new facility is the first of
its kind in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH offered his understanding the VA is
recognized as a leader in medical recordkeeping; in fact,
because of the transient nature of its patients, it has
established and maintained a quality recordkeeping system. He
noted his personal experience with the VA and acknowledged the
success of that component. He disclosed a possible conflict of
interest in that he has been a beneficiary of services through
the VA. Representative Buch opined the issue is not only
finding veterans, but informing them of the connections already
available in the state.
1:22:35 PM
CHAIR GATTO, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HJR 10.
1:22:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI made a motion to adopt Amendment 1,
which read [original punctuation provided]:
Page 2, lines 5 and 6, following "services for
Alaska's veterans,"
Delete: "but Alaska remains [one] of three states that
does not have a veteran's hospital that provides acute
care inpatient services"
Page 2, line 23, following "Alaska Native health
system"
Delete: ", which is"
Insert: "and Community Health Centers, which are"
Page 2, line 25, following "Alaska Native health"
Delete: "system's"
Insert: "system and Community Health Centers'"
Page 3, line 25, following "the existing"
Delete: "community"
Insert: "Community Health Center"
Page 3, lines 28 and 29, following "with individual"
Delete: "community or tribal health centers"
Insert: "Community Health Centers or tribal clinics"
Page 3, line 30, following "Whereas"
Delete: "community"
Insert: "Community Health Centers"
Page 4, lines 1 and 2, following "and populations"
Delete: "and to uninsured and underinsured
individuals, low-income families, veterans, seniors,
seasonal workers, and non-English speaking
individuals"
Insert: "including veterans who do not reside in the
vicinity of a VA health care facil[i]ty"
Page 4, line 18, following "quality health care,
including"
Insert: "at Community Health Centers,"
Page 4, line 18, following "substance abuse treatment
centers,"
Delete: "and"
Page 4, line 19, following "tribal health
organizations"
Insert: ["] and other appropriate local providers"
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS objected.
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI, after reading Amendment 1, explained
that Amendment 1 is a technical clean up in nature.
1:25:39 PM
MS. REID said [Amendment 1] is important and works with the
original resolution.
1:26:20 PM
MS. HUGHES added that the APCA supports Amendment 1.
CHAIR GATTO, after stating that the objection had been removed,
announced that Amendment 1 was adopted.
1:26:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS moved to report the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HJR 10, Version 26-LS0313\E, Bailey,
2/24/09, as amended, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, CSHJR 10(MLV) was reported from the House Special
Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
HJR 16 - DISABLED VETERANS PROCUREMENT PREFERENCE
1:27:03 PM
CHAIR GATTO announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16, Relating to federal procurement
preferences for small businesses in the state that are owned and
controlled by service-disabled veterans.
1:27:52 PM
SANDRA WILSON, staff to Representative Carl Gatto, Alaska State
Legislature, introduced HJR 16 on behalf of Representative
Gatto, prime sponsor. Ms. Wilson informed the committee that
currently there is a federal law that stipulates 3 percent of
federal contracts must be granted to disabled veteran-owned
small businesses. However, but full compliance has not been
achieved.
CHAIR GATTO added that the [resolution] encourages the state to
honor the federal government's requirement.
MS. WILSON concurred that the resolution asks why federal
entities within the State of Alaska have not been following the
3 percent procurement preference.
CHAIR GATTO further explained that veterans, who were unable to
establish businesses because they were deployed in service to
their country, deserve "a 3 percent edge" upon their return.
1:29:57 PM
AMBER SAWYER said that her boyfriend is currently in Iraq and
she expressed her support of HJR 16. She currently serves with
Susitna Valley Post 35 of the American Legion Auxiliary and
characterized it as "amazing" to see the veterans on Veteran's
Day. There are plenty of disabled veterans who already have
enough difficulties to deal with, such as medical problems and
educational problems. Ms. Sawyer shared that her father, who is
a disabled veteran, asked her to testify and thank the sponsor
for this resolution.
1:33:38 PM
CHAIR GATTO, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HJR 16.
1:33:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS moved to report HJR 16 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HJR 16 was reported from the
House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
1:33:59 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:34 p.m.