Senate Proceeding on Oct 1st, 2009 :: 1:38:40 to 1:50:00
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1:38:38 to 1:38:58( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: who died not long ago, a great chpion of the american outdoors. and we miss him like to include this statement in the "congressional record." the presiding officer: without objection. a senator:

1:38:40 to 1:50:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Lisa Murkowski

1:38:59 to 1:39:19( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the presiding officer: the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: madam president, i would ask unanimous consent that a military fellow in my office, major john vargas, be granted floor privileges for the duration of the debate on the fy 2010 defense appropriations, bill. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: thank you, madam president. madam president, on january 22

1:39:20 to 1:39:40( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: of this year, i came to the floor to inform our colleagues here in the senate about a decision, a decision by the department of defense that service in the alaska territorial guard during world war ii would not be regarded as active-duty service for purposes of military retirement. that decision reversed the

1:39:41 to 1:40:02( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: position that had previously been taken by the army that this service did count toward mi madam president, as a consequence, 26 elderly alaskans, descendance of the aboriginal people who originally inhabited alask 26 native

1:40:03 to 1:40:23( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: people, were about to see a substantial reduction in the military pensions. this all happening in the dead of an were paying stroller high fuel prices. and at that time when i came to the floor, i what kind of government, what

1:40:24 to 1:40:44( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: kind of cruella would cut the pensions of 26 elderly people who stood up to defend alaska and our nation during world war ii with absolutely no prior warning, no advance notice. that answer was our government on advice of the lawyers.

1:40:45 to 1:41:05( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: in the defense appropriations act for fiscal year congress recognized in alaska territorial guard as active duty service. section 8147 required the secretary of defense to issue discharge certificates to each member of the alaska tertorial guard under honorable conditions

1:41:06 to 1:41:28( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: if the secretary determined that, the nature and duration of the service of the individual so warrants. the military first concluded that that included retirement benefits, and then abruptly reversed that position with immediate effect. as a mcnorton explained in a story

1:41:29 to 1:41:50( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: carried by the associated press, section 8147 applies to military benefits, including health benefits. but it doesn't make members of the territorial guard eligible for retirement pay. now, i must etch size at this point -- emphasize that no alaska territorial guardsman claimed pension solely because of his service in the territorial guard.

1:41:51 to 1:42:12( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the alaska territorial guard was created in 1942 and disbanded in many members of the tundra army, as some called it, continued to serve in the alaska national guard and other units of the military. that service combined with service in the territorial guard

1:42:13 to 1:42:33( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: forms the basis now, madam president, i'v to learn that when you use the term "cruella" on the senate floor, people sit up and take notice. my remarks were telegraphed across the national media outlets and the

1:42:34 to 1:42:56( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: response that came to the plight of the 26 warming. across the ideological spectrum from across the american people was really outrage the high level of national interest in the plight of the alaska territorial guards members was not lost on the senior leaders of the army. the secretary of the army rose to the occasion.

1:42:57 to 1:43:17( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: he reached into his emergency and extraordinary expense fund -- this is the triple "e" fund -- to continue the payments to those elders for the 60 days in hope that congress would have an opportunity to address the issue by then. my colleague, senator begich, and i promptly introduced legislation to situation.

1:43:18 to 1:43:38( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: but, the legislation wasn't considered before the 60 days of temporary payments ran out. so the alaska legislature stepped up to fill the gap, and they enacted legislation to continue the payments from state funds order to, again, give congress the time to fix

1:43:39 to 1:44:01( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: with the support of our colleagues -- and i especially appreciate the leadership and support from senators levin, my colleague and friend,, inouye, language to clarify that service in the alaska territorial guard counts towards eligibility for retirement pay that was included

1:44:02 to 1:44:22( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: in that 2010 defense authorization bill. the presidin the presiding officer: the ms. murkowski: madam president, it is my understanding that i was to 15 minutes under this time agreement; is that correct? the presiding officer: the chair is aware of no such agreement, and the t

1:44:23 to 1:44:43( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: republican side ms. murkowski: madam chairman, i do have additional comments that i would like to make. i would ask for unanimous consent that i have five minutes to conclude these that is acceptable. the presiding officer: without objection.

1:44:44 to 1:45:05( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: ms. murkowski: thank you, madam chairman. i'd like to recognize my friend and colleague, senator mccain, who was there at the end to help us with this the people of alaska thank our colleagues, senator inouye, senator mccain, and so many, for the consideration that was given these alaska territorial guardsmen.

1:45:06 to 1:45:26( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: last friday we were disappointed to administration might not share our enshoes. a for putting this matter to bed and restoring the retirement benefits for the 26 elderly alaska native veterans. the position on the defense appropriations bill contain two sentences: the administration objects to a new general

1:45:27 to 1:45:48( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: provision that would count as active duty service. the guards members world war ii. this would establish a precedent of service performed by a state employee as a purposes of the come pew ttion of retired -- computation of retired pay.

1:45:49 to 1:46:09( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the notion that restoring these benefits establishes a benefit of treating service of a state employee as active duty service defies it defies history. not only is it inconsistent with a letter of congress's finding of section 148 of the 2001 defense appropriations act that the service was federal service.

1:46:10 to 1:46:31( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: it's inconsistent with the facts an inconsistent with the law, i believe, are lieutenant governor -- retired lieutenant general craig campbell remarked that the administration doesn't understand what the territorial guard is. this was an initiative of the federal government. they provided add federal service. general c

1:46:32 to 1:46:52( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: recently retired of the alaska national guard is correct on this. the alaska territorial guard was created in 1942 to protect alaska by invasion by the japanese. the notion that japan had an interest in alaska was not speculative. the japanese bombed dutch

1:46:53 to 1:47:13( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: harbor, landed. enemy submarines lurked in the bearing sea. the a.t.g. was marvin leadership of a governorship, uncle sam's men, all who served were volunteers, they were not state employees. it was organized in the name of

1:47:14 to 1:47:34( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: the president of the united it was armed by the united states army. the operations of t units were inspected by the u.s. army, the unit was disnded in 1947 by order of the united states army. the unit was well known for its skill in protecting alaska. these gentlemen in native hunt

1:47:35 to 1:47:55( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: knew the land better than any soldier that the army might have sent up from the lower 48 and they kept watch over 5,000 miles of coastline and submarines, shot down japanese balloon bombs, protecting the alaska and russia. these were the core missions of the territorial guard testimony

1:47:56 to 1:48:17( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: is disappointing that 62 years after the alaska territorial guard was disbanded that their value to our nation and our success in world war ii was drawn to question. when i came to the floor in jan of this year. i believe as did general campbell and his staff, judge

1:48:18 to 1:48:39( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: advocate, that the 2000 legislation entitled members of the a.t.g. to benefits perted by their service. the military at one time held that position, january 22, they didn't. i called upon the department of defense to work with me, work with senatoregich to make things right and the

1:48:40 to 1:49:01( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: delegation wrote to the president to enlist his support for the effort. nine years has passed since congress determined that service in the alaska territorial guard was federal service. nine years have passed since the secretary of defense ordered that these brave men of the tundra army who remain alive are entitled to discharge certificates from the army.

1:49:02 to 1:49:23( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: nine years since they granted full federal veterans benefits. i would suggest it's nine years too late f department to reopen the question of whether the the congress has answered this question with finality. i mentioned that many americans have registered their opinions on the internet over the administration's position on

1:49:24 to 1:49:45( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: territorial guard benefits. many these benefits. many believe that the administration's position denigrates the service of the alaska territorial guard. some would suggest that the men who served deserve an apology, but one perceptive individual suggested, i doubt that presiden decision or even knows about it. so, once again, madam president,

1:49:46 to 1:50:02( Edit History Discussion )

Lisa Murkowski: i would ask that president obama personally support us in our quest to obtain justice for a few elderly alaska natives who served our nation with patriotism, pride, distinction. president obama, do the right