Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives Wednesday, by a 36-2 vote, gave final approval to House Bill 77, sponsored by Representative Lisa Murkowski (R-Anchorage). HB 77 would establish the Joint Armed Services Committee as a permanent interim committee of the Alaska Legislature.

"Today the House concurred with a Senate amendment to the bill, which would add another civilian member to the committee," said Murkowski. "This amendment allows the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Alaska Municipal League to recommend a member, in the hope that rural Alaska will have a voice in state-related military affairs."

The Joint Armed Services Committee would consist of five senators and five representatives, as well as six non-legislators jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House. The five non-legislators would include: one member recommended by the Alaska chapters of the Associations of the Army, Air Force and Marines and the Navy League; one member recommended by the 17th Coast Guard District Auxiliary; one member recommended by the Mayor of Anchorage; one member recommended by the Mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough; one member recommended by the Adjutant General of Alaska; and one member recommended by either the Alaska Federation of Natives or the Alaska Municipal League.

"Alaska is being considered as a site for the deployment of a National Ballistic Missile Defense System. In addition, the Clinton Administration is planning another round of Base Realignments and Closures," said Murkowski. "This committee would present a unified front by Alaskans for timely monitoring of these and other military topics that affect Alaskans."