Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska House Bill HJR21 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	HJR021a -1- HJR 21
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11	11	HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 21
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13	13	IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
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15	15	THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
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17	17	BY REPRESENTATIVES NELSON, Costello
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19	19	Introduced: 4/22/25
20	20	Referred: House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, State Affairs
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23	23	A RESOLUTION
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25	25	Encouraging the United States Congress to designate 2025 as the Year of the Soldier. 1
26	26	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
27	27	WHEREAS the United States Army, the first and oldest branch of the armed forces of 3
28	28	the United States, has played a defining role in the development and defense of the nation and 4
29	29	has shaped history as one of the foremost land warfare service branches around the world for 5
30	30	250 years; and 6
31	31	WHEREAS the United States Army is older than the nation it serves, tracing its roots 7
32	32	to June 14, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution calling for the 8
33	33	formation of 10 companies of expert riflemen to support the fight for independence; and 9
34	34	WHEREAS the establishment of the Continental Army predated the signing of the 10
35	35	Declaration of Independence by more than a year, and its rapid growth and development 11
36	36	proved essential to the security and integrity of the early United States; and 12
37	37	WHEREAS, in 1791, the ongoing global conflicts and upheaval on the western 13
38	38	frontier led to the reorganization of a standing ground force, the Legion of the United States, 14
39	39	which, in 1796, was renamed the United States Army; and 15
40	40	WHEREAS, during the War of 1812, when many militia units struggled to repulse 16 34-LS0879\A
41	41	HJR 21 -2- HJR021a
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44	44	British forces, the United States Army demonstrated its effectiveness through victories at the 1
45	45	Battle of Plattsburgh and the Battle of Baltimore; and 2
46	46	WHEREAS the United States Army's victory in the Mexican-American War was a 3
47	47	defining moment for the nation and resulted in the acquisition of a large swath of territory that 4
48	48	would eventually become several western states, reinforcing the nation's reach to the Pacific 5
49	49	Ocean; and 6
50	50	WHEREAS, during the Civil War, the United States Army, often referred to as the 7
51	51	Union Army, was strengthened by volunteers, and, after the Emancipation Proclamation in 8
52	52	1863, more than 180,000 Black men served in the army, playing a crucial role in securing 9
53	53	victory; and 10
54	54	WHEREAS the successes of the United States Army during the Spanish-American 11
55	55	War and the Philippine-American War in the 1890s solidified the emergence of the United 12
56	56	States as a global power; and 13
57	57	WHEREAS, during World War I, the American Expeditionary Forces, composed 14
58	58	largely of United States Army units, helped shift the tide of war and developed battlefield 15
59	59	experience that would prove critical in later conflicts; and 16
60	60	WHEREAS, during World War II, the United States Army deployed globally, 17
61	61	including in the Pacific Theater, where soldiers played a pivotal role in defending the state 18
62	62	during the Aleutian Islands campaign, repelling Japanese forces from American soil in one of 19
63	63	the only battles fought on United States territory during the war; and 20
64	64	WHEREAS the United States Army helped maintain global stability throughout the 21
65	65	Cold War, including major combat actions in Korea and Vietnam, and stood watch against 22
66	66	Soviet aggression; and 23
67	67	WHEREAS, after the Cold War, the United States Army showcased its strength in 24
68	68	Operation Desert Storm and participated in numerous peacekeeping missions around the 25
69	69	world; and 26
70	70	WHEREAS, following the attacks of September 11, 2001, members of the United 27
71	71	States Army, including soldiers from units stationed at Fort Wainwright and Joint Base 28
72	72	Elmendorf-Richardson, were among the first deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq during the 29
73	73	Global War on Terrorism; and 30
74	74	WHEREAS the presence of the United States Army in the state remains vital to 31 34-LS0879\A
75	75	HJR021a -3- HJR 21
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78	78	national security and Arctic readiness, with soldiers training in some of the world's most 1
79	79	extreme environments and serving as a strategic force in the Indo-Pacific region; and 2
80	80	WHEREAS, for 250 years, the United States Army has stood as a guardian of the 3
81	81	American way of life, guided by its enduring motto "This We'll Defend"; and 4
82	82	WHEREAS the United States Army's iconic slogan "Be All You Can Be" continues 5
83	83	to inspire generations of Americans to rise to their full potential and serve with honor; and 6
84	84	WHEREAS, from the Revolutionary War to the present, active duty soldiers and 7
85	85	veterans of the United States Army have demonstrated resilience, courage, and leadership and 8
86	86	have contributed not only to the military, but to communities and institutions across the 9
87	87	United States, including this state, where many veterans continue to lead in government, 10
88	88	business, and civic life; and 11
89	89	WHEREAS the state is proud to host significant United States Army installations, 12
90	90	including Fort Wainwright, home to the 11th Airborne Division, and Joint Base Elmendorf-13
91	91	Richardson, which supports joint operations and Arctic military readiness, both serving as 14
92	92	major contributors to the state's economy and community fabric; and 15
93	93	WHEREAS, on June 14, 2025, the United States Army will kick off its 250th 16
94	94	anniversary; 17
95	95	BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the United States 18
96	96	Congress to designate the year 2025 as the Year of the Soldier in celebration of the 250th 19
97	97	anniversary of the United States Army. 20
98	98	COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President 21
99	99	of the United States; the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and 22
100	100	President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of 23
101	101	Representatives; the Honorable Chuck Grassley, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate; the 24
102	102	Honorable John Thune, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; and the Honorable Lisa 25
103	103	Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas 26
104	104	Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress. 27