DOCSLIB.ORG

Legislative Research Services

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Legislative Research Services LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES Alaska State Legislature (907) 465‐3991 phone Division of Legal and Research Services (907) 465‐3908 fax State Capitol, Juneau, AK 99801 [email protected] Research Brief TO: Senator John Coghill FROM: Patricia Young, Manager DATE: February 13, 2015 RE: Congressional Logjam over Statehood for Alaska LRS Report 15.259 You asked about attempts before Congress—occurring prior to the 1958 passage of the Statehood Act—that would have enabled the Territory of Alaska to become a state. The movement for statehood for Alaska was long and contentious. In the last years leading up to the constitutional convention, Congress had considered a number of statehood bills with support shifting from House to Senate, but never both at once. For example, a statehood bill for Alaska was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1950, but it died in the Senate. During the following Congress, a bill in the Senate died on a very close vote. Subsequently, with President Eisenhower endorsing statehood for Hawaii, a Hawaii statehood bill passed the House. In order to get the Alaska bill moving, the Senate inserted the Alaska statehood language in the Hawaii bill that had passed the House.1 That bill eventually died when Congress adjourned.2 Other bills similarly attempted to tie statehood for Alaska with that for Hawaii, but none passed. Opposition to Statehood for Alaska Reliable sources at the time and since concur that several factors caused enabling legislation for Alaska’s statehood to falter and die in Congress over a span of many years. Robert A. Frederick, in Alaska’s Quest for Statehood 1967 – 1959: An Essay with Historical Photographs and Cartoons, summed up the causes as follows: Opposition to statehood for Alaska came mainly from the Senate but also was to be found in the House of Representatives. There were at least six reasons which motivated the negative positions. Of these, perhaps the most generous was that the Territory was simply not ready to handle such a gigantic task financially, considering the fastness of the Great Land—that it might mismanage its resources both animate and inanimate. A second source of opposition were those companies and interests outside Alaska which had so successfully exploited it with little return to the Northland and lobbied in Congress to keep the status quo. A third group to object were some senators and representatives from Southern states, who feared that an Alaskan delegation, however small, would most likely be liberal—especially in the matter of civil rights and voting rights issues. For generations Southern delegations, especially in the Senate, had been able to block civil rights legislation for American’s minority peoples. The method used in the Senate was the filibuster. It could only be employed if the other members of the Senate—a two‐thirds majority—did not force cloture. The Southerners expected that Alaskan senators would vote against them. A fourth objection, used also against the admission of Hawaii, was that Alaska had such racial diversity as to create problems within the Union. The civil rights legislation on the national scene was yet to materialize. A fifth reason for disapproval was that if one non‐contiguous possession or territory were admitted, the others would follow. Finally, political partisanship often prevails over 1 Victor Fischer, Alaska’s Constitutional Convention, Institute of Social, Economic and Government Research, University of Alaska Press, 1975. 2 The only pertinent bill we identified as having been enacted in 1955 was S. 1633, which read: “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, notwithstanding the provisions of section 11 of the Act entitled ‘An Act to create a legislative assembly in the territory of Alaska, to confer legislative power thereon, and for other purposes’, approved August 24, 1912 (48 U.S.C., sec. 82), any member of the legislature may be a candidate for election as a delegate in the formation of a constitutional convention and if elected may serve at such convention.” Approved July 12, 1955. Chapter 335, Public Law 154. statesmanship. As previously noted, it was expected that the Alaskan delegation to Congress would be Democrats at a time when the country had a Republican Administration and Congress. For a time this political consideration motivated those in positions of power to prevent Alaska’s admission.3 Drafting of a Constitution ahead of Enabling Legislation With no enabling act, and repeated defeats, Alaskans determined that their best recourse was to proceed with drafting a constitution. Members of the Territorial Legislature in 1955 passed legislation providing for the holding of the constitutional convention, which was held at the university outside of Fairbanks from November 19, 1955, through February 6, 1956.4 As noted by Gordon Harrison in Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide, [By 1955] the prospects were not bright for quick congressional action. Writing a constitution at that time, rather than after Alaska was admitted to the Union, was a gambit in the battle for statehood: stalwarts hoped that a good constitution written and acclaimed by the people of the territory would help rally skeptics to their cause and promote statehood in Washington, D.C. Alaska was not the first to use this tactic; several other territories had adopted constitutions prior to statehood. Hawaii, also seeking statehood, had drafted a constitution in 1950.5 In addition to the modern and carefully crafted constitution, political cartoons of the day were helpful in breaking the political “logjam” in Congress. Attached is an article and several of those cartoons, which by their subjects and dates show that Congress had not successfully moved on the issue right up to the vote on the measure that became our Statehood Act. That bill, signed by President Eisenhower on July 7, 1958, as Public Law 85‐508, required that in order for the Act to be effective, the Alaska electorate would need to adopt its specific provisions. We attach a short paper tracing those steps, “From the Alaska Constitution to Statehood.”6 Also attached is the main page from the University of Alaska’s collection on Statehood Files with links to various important documents and treatises, as well as a 1946 paper by George Sundborg, “Statehood for Alaska: The Issues Involved and the Facts about the Issues.” I hope this is helpful. If you have questions or need additional information, please let us know. 3 Robert A. Frederick, Alaska’s Quest for Statehood 1867‐1959: An Essay with Historical Photographs and Cartoons, Anchorage Silver Anniversary Task Force, Municipality of Anchorage, 1985, pp. 20‐21. 4 Chapter 46, Session Laws of Alaska, 1955. 5 Gordon S. Harrison, Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide, 5th ed., Legislative Affairs Agency, 2012. 6 Legislative Research Services 11.307, “From the Alaska Constitution to Statehood,” June 21, 2011. LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES, LRS 15.259 FEBRUARY 13, 2015 — PAGE 2 CONGRESSIONAL LOGJAM OVER STATEHOOD FOR ALASKA LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES Alaska State Legislature (907) 465-3991 phone Division of Legal and Research Services (907) 465-3908 fax State Capitol, Juneau, AK 99801 [email protected] Memorandum FROM: Patricia Young, Manager DATE: June 21, 2011 RE: From the Alaska Constitution to Statehood LRS Report 11.307 You wished to know the relationship between passage of the Statehood Act and the Proclamation of Statehood. You also wished to know the timing of events, and whether the Alaska Constitution was in operation prior to statehood. As you may know, the creation of a constitution prior to statehood was intended to allow for careful deliberation and the development of a well-reasoned, progressive document that gained from the experiences of other states. Supporters hoped that a good constitution would help to convince skeptics that the Territory was mature enough for the responsibilities of statehood. The following table shows the timing of events leading up to statehood. From Constitution to Statehood Date Event Notes 5-Feb-56 Delegates adopt Alaska Constitution Article XV of the Constitution established the legal continuity between the Territory and the State. Section 24 provided for three ordinances to be considered for ratification by the electorate: the first would adopt the constitution; the second would adopt the Alaska-Tennessee Plan; the third would abolished fish traps in Alaska. Section 25 specified that if ratified, the constitution would take effect immediately 24-Apr-56 Alaska electorate ratifies Constitution upon the admission of Alaska into the Union as a state. The Alaska-Tennessee Plan became effective upon ratification. That ordinance specified that two "shadow" senators and a representative would be elected at the 1956 general election to serve in Congress to prepare for the admission of Alaska to the Union. The third ordinance--the abolition of fish traps--would become effective upon the effective date of the constitution. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Section 8(b) required that in order for the Act to be effective, the Alaska electorate 7-Jul-58 Alaska Statehood Act (PL 85-508) into law would need to adopt the specific provisions of the Act. Section 8(c) of the Statehood Act required that, upon certification of the election Alaska electorate adopts all propositions returns, the President would issue his proclamation announcing the results, and 26-Aug-58 required in the Statehood Act in a special upon that proclamation, the State of Alaska would be deemed admitted into the statehood referendum election Union. With that proclamation, Alaska became a state, and the Constitution became 3-Jan-59 President Eisenhower's Proclamation effective. Language in the Statehood Act required adoption by the Alaska electorate in order for the Act to become effective.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Unit Title: Historiography
    Matanuska Susitna Borough School District High School Alaska History Curriculum Guide Developed and written by the High School Alaska History Writing Team Sean Murphy, Houston High School Pam Burley, Wasilla High School Janet Blalock, Wasilla High School William Siedler, Palmer High School Paula Marsh, Palmer High School Lorri Van Diest, Curriculum Coordinator Matanuska Susitna Borough School District Dept. of Education & Instruction 501 N. Gulkana St. Palmer, AK 99645 Alaska History Course Description: Alaska History is an in-depth exploration of the rich geographic and cultural background of the state and its people from the early native people to the Russian era through statehood to the present. This course includes examination of the geography, the history, the political and the economic forces that have shaped contemporary Alaska. The course seeks to ensure that students have a strong foundation in the historic and cultural contexts of issues facing the state so they will develop a broad sense of community and strengthen skills that will encourage thoughtful consideration of issues and choices facing Alaska. Alaska History Course Objectives: Develops and fosters a sense of civic responsibility. Promotes reading, writing, research, presentation skills, and participatory activities. Supports the development of critical and abstract thinking skills, which allow students to analyze the impact of historical events in Alaska. Awareness of Alaskan geography. Students will understand the origins and diversity of Alaskan Native culture groups. Identify the components Legacy of the Russian Colonial period, 1741-1867. Examine the impact of the United States Colonial era, 1867-1912. Understand the events and people that ultimately led to statehood, 1912- 1959.
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska Park Science 19(1): Arctic Alaska Are Living at the Species’ Northern-Most to Identify Habitats Most Frequented by Bears and 4-9
    National Park Service US Department of the Interior Alaska Park Science Region 11, Alaska Below the Surface Fish and Our Changing Underwater World Volume 19, Issue 1 Noatak National Preserve Cape Krusenstern Gates of the Arctic Alaska Park Science National Monument National Park and Preserve Kobuk Valley Volume 19, Issue 1 National Park June 2020 Bering Land Bridge Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve National Preserve Denali National Wrangell-St Elias National Editorial Board: Park and Preserve Park and Preserve Leigh Welling Debora Cooper Grant Hilderbrand Klondike Gold Rush Jim Lawler Lake Clark National National Historical Park Jennifer Pederson Weinberger Park and Preserve Guest Editor: Carol Ann Woody Kenai Fjords Managing Editor: Nina Chambers Katmai National Glacier Bay National National Park Design: Nina Chambers Park and Preserve Park and Preserve Sitka National A special thanks to Sarah Apsens for her diligent Historical Park efforts in assembling articles for this issue. Her Aniakchak National efforts helped make this issue possible. Monument and Preserve Alaska Park Science is the semi-annual science journal of the National Park Service Alaska Region. Each issue highlights research and scholarship important to the stewardship of Alaska’s parks. Publication in Alaska Park Science does not signify that the contents reflect the views or policies of the National Park Service, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute National Park Service endorsement or recommendation. Alaska Park Science is found online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/alaskaparkscience/index.htm Table of Contents Below the Surface: Fish and Our Changing Environmental DNA: An Emerging Tool for Permafrost Carbon in Stream Food Webs of Underwater World Understanding Aquatic Biodiversity Arctic Alaska C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Relationship Between Indigenous Rights, Citizenship, and Land in Territorial Alaska: How the Past Opened the Door to the Future
    The Relationship between Indigenous Rights, Citizenship and Land in Territorial Alaska: How the Past Opened the Door to the Future Item Type Article Authors Swensen, Thomas M. Download date 02/10/2021 20:55:59 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5825 Swensen The Relationship between Indigenous Rights, Citizenship, and Land GROWING OUR OWN: INDIGENOUS RESEARCH, SCHOLARS, AND EDUCATION Proceedings from the Alaska Native Studies Conference (2015) The Relationship between Indigenous Rights, Citizenship, and Land in Territorial Alaska: How the Past Opened the Door to the Future Thomas Michael Swensen1 1Ethnic Studies Department, Colorado State University, CO. On 4 March 1944 the Alaskan newspaper the Nome Nugget published an editorial written by sixteen-year-old local Inupiat Alberta Schenck. In her letter she publically voiced how many Alaska Natives felt in their homelands amid the employment of racial prejudice against them. “To whom it may concern: this is a long story but will have to make it as brief as possible,” she began, addressing the tensions “between natives, breeds, and whites.” In the editorial forum of the Nome Nugget the young Schenck implemented a discussion concerning discrimination toward Indigenous people, as made apparent in her use of racist language in distinguishing herself and members of her fellow Indigenous community as “natives” and “breeds.”1 An unexpected activist, Schenck worked as an usher at the Alaska Dream Theater in Nome where she took tickets and assisted patrons in locating their seats. At her job she was also responsible for maintaining the lines of segregation between seating for White patrons on the main floor and Native patrons in the balcony.
    [Show full text]
  • NOAA Parcel G Relinquishment Environmental Assessment (EA) DOI-BLM-AK-F020-2017-0016 Serial Number F-025943
    United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Eastern Interior Field Office 222 University Avenue Fairbanks, AK 99709 Phone: 907-474-2200 NOAA Parcel G Relinquishment Environmental Assessment (EA) DOI-BLM-AK-F020-2017-0016 Serial Number F-025943 July 26, 2017 This Page is Intentionally Left Blank Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ..................................................................5 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION...................................... 6 1.2 DECISION TO BE MADE ........................................................................................ 6 1.3 CONFORMANCE WITH BLM MANAGEMENT PLAN(S).................................. 6 1.4 CONSISTENCY WITH LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES ..................... 7 1.5 SCOPING AND IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES ................................................... 8 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ........................................................11 2.1 Alternative A: Proposed Action ............................................................................... 11 2.2 Alternative B: No Action Alternative ...................................................................... 11 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated From Detailed Analysis ........................... 12 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT and ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ........12 3.1 Realty and Land Status ............................................................................................ 13 3.2 Vegetation ...............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2004 No. 122 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, October 4, 2004, at 12:30 p.m. Senate FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2004 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was SCHEDULE the course of the last week to comment called to order by the President pro Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, good on the progress being made on the bill. tempore (Mr. STEVENS.) morning to everyone. We will continue to monitor the Today, we once again will return to progress. The bill itself is being dis- PRAYER the intelligence reform legislation cussed after full hearings in August The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- sponsored by Senators COLLINS and and months and months of work, so the fered the following prayer: LIEBERMAN. This week, we have made objective of completing this bill in the Let us pray. steady progress. As we set out, we will near future, both the internal organiza- O, God, who sends showers to soften be completing this bill in the near fu- tion, reorganization, and external by the soil and cause plants to sprout, You ture, but we have a number of amend- the time we depart, is the goal we hope are the source of all life. You have ments. I thank both of the managers to accomplish. We need to continue challenged us to number our days, not for their patience and willingness to with the deliberative process, but we our weeks, months, or years.
    [Show full text]
  • Keeping Promises Ii Preface
    keeping promises ii preface mcgill-queen's native and northern series (In memory of Bruce G. Trigger) Sarah Carter and Arthur J. Ray, Editors 1 When the Whalers Were Up North 11 When the North Was Red Inuit Memories from the Eastern Aboriginal Education in Soviet Arctic Siberia Dorothy Harley Eber Dennis A. Bartels and Alice L. 2 The Challenge of Arctic Shipping Bartels Science, Environmental Assess- 12 From Talking Chiefs to a Native ment, and Human Values Corporate Elite Edited by David L. VanderZwaag The Birth of Class and National- and Cynthia Lamson ism among Canadian Inuit 3 Lost Harvests Marybelle Mitchell Prairie Indian Reserve Farmers and 13 Cold Comfort Government Policy My Love Affair with the Arctic Sarah Carter Graham W. Rowley 4 Native Liberty, Crown Sovereignty 14 The True Spirit and Original The Existing Aboriginal Right of Intent of Treaty 7 Self-Government in Canada Treaty 7 Elders and Tribal Council Bruce Clark with Walter Hildebrandt, Dorothy 5 Unravelling the Franklin Mystery First Rider, and Sarah Carter Inuit Testimony 15 This Distant and Unsurveyed David C. Woodman Country 6 Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and A Woman’s Winter at Baffin Island, China Goods 1857-1858 The Maritime Fur Trade of the W. Gillies Ross Northwest Coast, 1785-1841 16 Images of Justice James R. Gibson Dorothy Harley Eber 7 From Wooden Ploughs to Welfare 17 Capturing Women The Story of the Western Reserves The Manipulation of Cultural Helen Buckley Imagery in Canada’s Prairie West 8 In Business for Ourselves Sarah A. Carter Northern Entrepreneurs 18 Social and Environmental Impacts Wanda A.
    [Show full text]
  • Juliana Pegues Dissertation
    INTERROGATING INTIMACIES: ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE RELATIONS IN COLONIAL ALASKA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY JULIANA PEGUES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY JIGNA DESAI, CO-ADVISOR ERIKA LEE, CO-ADVISOR AUGUST 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Juliana Pegues ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Portions of an earlier version of Chapter 3 were published in “Rethinking Relations: Interracial Intimacies of Asian Men and Native Women in Alaskan Canneries,” Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, 15, no. 1 (March 2013): 55-66; copyright Taylor & Francis Group; reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis Group. A slightly different version of Chapter 4 will be published in “’Picture Man’: Shoki Kayamori and the Photography of Colonial Encounter in Alaska, 1912-1941,” College Literature: A Journal of Critical Literary Studies. Thank you to the editors and special edition editors of these journals. Many people have guided and supported me throughout my dissertation process, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to recognize them. I am grateful to my committee, exemplary scholars who challenge me to deeply engage and critically think through my project. My advisors Erika Lee and Jigna Desai have been everything I could ask for and more, both phenomenal academics who motivate me to be a better scholar, teacher, parent, and community member. Erika is a formidable historian who has provided me with invaluable training, always asking the important “why?” of my research and project, especially my contributions to Asian American studies. Erika encourages me to “embrace my inner historian,” and I would like to state for the record that she inspires me time and time again to research and write important, compelling, and creative historical narratives.
    [Show full text]
  • Land Grant History
    LAND GRANT HISTORY Several federal laws were enacted to dedicate significant acreages of land to the educational mission of the University of Alaska (UA), parallel to those dedicated to land-grant universities in other states. This was in keeping with a long-standing tradition of providing land to support education, predating even the United States Constitution. Unfortunately, a series of historical circumstances have deprived UA of most of the actual land grants originally intended for it, with the ironic result that, despite the vast areas of land within the State of Alaska, UA has been crippled, historically and presently, by the paucity of lands from which it can generate its own revenues. The largest state in the U.S. has received a smaller land grant for higher education than any other state except Delaware (90,000 acres) and Hawaii (which received no federal land at all, but did get a large monetary grant in-lieu of land). The following is a brief summary. 1862 Morrill Act. The Morrill Act was passed by Congress in 1862 under President Lincoln, and provided more than 11 million acres of land to states and territories to create a system of land grant colleges and universities. Each state received 30,000 acres for each of its Senators and Representatives, and future-admitted states were to receive the same. Proceeds from the lands were used to establish and endow the operation of at least one college in each state, to promote “the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life.” For the first time in American history, higher education became available to millions of working class men and women.
    [Show full text]
  • RESOLUTION NO. 4852 a RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING the ALASKA STATEHOOD ACT and ITS SECTION 28(A) 90 PER CENTUM PROVISION REGARDING OI
    Introduced by: Council Member Cleworth Introduced: October 22, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 4852 A RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE ALASKA STATEHOOD ACT AND ITS SECTION 28(a) 90 PER CENTUM PROVISION REGARDING OIL ROYALTIES AND REAFFIRMING CITY OF FAIRBANKS RESOLUTION NO. 3701 WHEREAS, on April 21, 1997, the City Council passed Resolution No. 3701 regarding the Alaska Statehood Act and the 90 per centum oil royalty provision of Section 28(a); and WHEREAS, the United States Congress in the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) reserved the right to permit further oil and gas exploration, development, and production within the coastal plain of ANWR to include all other ANILCA designated lands in Alaska; and WHEREAS, Alaska is entitled to receive 90 per centum of the oil and gas royalties in ANILCA designated lands, as well as on other federal oil and gas leases in accordance with the Alaska Statehood Compact provisions of the Alaska Statehood Act; and WHEREAS, Congress cannot enact legislation in conflict with the Alaska Statehood Compact provisions of the Alaska Statehood Act which violate the United States and Alaska State Constitutions; and WHEREAS, it is our legitimate opinion that any changes to the Alaska Statehood Act should only be made by the people of the State of Alaska by a referendum vote and not by the Alaska State Legislature or federal agencies without the due process American citizens of the State of Alaska and the City of Fairbanks are entitled to. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Fairbanks City Council on behalf of the citizens of Fairbanks, Alaska, requests that our Congressional Delegation, Governor, and other elected state officials uphold the 90 per centum provision of Section 28(a) of the Alaska Statehood Act, and that in the event that any legislation be passed by Congress to reduce Alaska's share of oil and gas revenue guaranteed to its citizens by the Statehood Act, that such legislation include specific provisions that it must be approved by a vote of the people of the State of Alaska.
    [Show full text]
  • Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 109Th Congress
    Order Code RL32838 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 109th Congress Updated April 9, 2007 Anne Gillis Information Research Specialist Knowledge Services Group M. Lynne Corn and Bernard A. Gelb Specialist in Natural Resources and Specialist in Industry Economics Resources, Science, and Industry Division Pamela Baldwin Consultant American Law Division Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 109th Congress Summary A major part of the energy debate is whether to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeastern Alaska, and if so, under what conditions, or whether to continue to prohibit development to protect the area’s biological resources. ANWR is rich in fauna, flora, and commercial oil potential. Its development has been debated for over 40 years, but increases in gasoline and natural gas prices, terrorist attacks, and infrastructure damage from hurricanes have intensified the debate. Current law forbids energy leasing in ANWR. This report is intended to provide a summary of legislative attempts to address issues of energy development and preservation in the Refuge from the 95th Congress through the 109th Congress, with emphasis on the 107th through 109th Congresses. This history has been cited by many, in and out of Congress, as background for issues that may be raised in the 110th Congress. The report contains little analysis of the substance of this issue, which is covered in other CRS reports. See CRS Report RL33872, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): New Directions in the 110th Congress, for information on actions in the 110th Congress relative to ANWR. The ANWR debate took two basic legislative routes in the 109th Congress: (1) budget resolutions and reconciliation bills (S.Con.Res.
    [Show full text]
  • ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fair Banks, Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of Interi
    ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks , Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks, Alaska ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System Alaska Rcso~rc,cs L~brn~) ,\ lnl'ormation Services LJbr,!!y 13UEilllil!!. Suite 1 11 3211 Prm·iucncc Drive Anchorage, A K 9950R-Ui14 ~~~~~~~~~illl~lll~~~~~~~~~~nilllll~~~~~~~~m 3 4982 00021487 3 ARCTIC NATIONAL WaDLIFE REFUGE Fairbanks, Alaska REVIEW AND APPROVALS ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1997 Refuge Manager Date Date INTRODUCTION Size Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, Arctic Refuge, or Arctic NWR) includes nearly 19.7 million acres, including eight million acres of wilderness. The Refuge spans more than 200 miles west to east from the Trans-Alaska pipeline corridor to Canada, and 200 miles north to south from the Beaufort Sea to the Venetie Indian Tribal Lands and the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Geography Major land forms include the coastal plain, the Brooks Range mountains, and the boreal forest south of the mountains. The Refuge extends south from the Beaufort Sea coast, including most offshore islands, reefs, and sandbars. It extends across the mostly treeless, rolling tundra of the coastal plain to the Brooks Range, located 8-50 miles inland from the coast. The Brooks Range runs roughly east to west through the Refuge, creating a natural north-south division. The Refuge contains the four tallest peaks (led by Mt. Isto, 9049 feet) and the only extensive glaciation in the Brooks Range.
    [Show full text]
  • A Revolt in the Ranks: the Great Alaska Court-Bar Fight*
    ARTICLES A Revolt in the Ranks: The Great Alaska Court-Bar Fight* PAMELA CRAVEZ** This Article details the post-statehood controversy between the Alaska Supreme Court and the Alaska Bar Association known as the "court-barfight." First,the Article discusses United States v. Stringer, a 1954 attorney discipline case illustrating the territorial courts' perceived inability to regulate adequately the legal Copyright © 1996 by Alaska Law Review * This article is excerpted from Pamela Cravez, Seizing the Frontier, Alaska's Territorial Lawyers (1984) (unpublished manuscript, on file with the author). The author would like to thank Professor Thomas West of Catholic University for his helpful comments on earlier drafts and Jeffrey Mayhook for his insightful editing. She would also like to thank Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Fitzgerald, Anchorage District Court Judge James Wanamaker, Glenn Cravez, Joyce Bamberger, Averil Lerman and Patsy Romack for their careful reviews and the Anchorage Bar Association for its generous support of Alaska's Territorial Lawyers: An Oral History. Editor's note: The author has drawn much of the material for this article from Anchorage Bar Ass'n, Alaska's Territorial Lawyers: An Oral History, an unpublished series of taperecorded interviews commissioned by the Anchorage Bar Association and conducted by the author. The audiocassettes are located at the former U.S. District Courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska. Unless otherwise indicated by citation, the information and quotations in this article have been drawn from this source. The editors, however, have not independently verified the information derived from the oral history. Accordingly, we rely on the author's representations as to the authenticity and accuracy of the statements drawn therefrom.
    [Show full text]