Juneau -- House Joint Resolution 8, which calls on the federal government to select an Alaskan site for the deployment of a national missile defense (NMD) system, passed the Alaska Senate Wednesday by a unanimous 20-0 vote.

Representative John Harris (R-Valdez), the prime sponsor of HJR 8, said he was gratified that the Senate took quick action to pass the resolution. "The Congress and the President need to know how we in Alaska feel about the missile defense issue," Harris said. "We don't like the idea of not being protected, as I am sure the people of Hawaii also feel. We also want them to know that Alaska stands ready to help provide for the defense of our nation and would appreciate it if they chose an Alaska site for the siting of the missiles."

The resolution asks the President to select an Alaska site for deployment of the intercept missiles that are part of the NMD. The other site under consideration is located in North Dakota, but it would not be able to defend Alaska and Hawaii from attacks from rogue nations such as North Korea, Iran or Iraq.

The resolution will be sent to President Clinton and his Secretary of Defense, as well as to Alaska's Congressional delegation and other members of Congress. In addition, it will be presented to General William Nance, who is the head of the Pentagon's site selection process for the NMD, when he is scheduled to speak to legislators in Juneau on Monday, February 22.

The resolution now returns to the House for concurrence with Senate-passed changes.

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