1 MR. MAYO: 2 We'll be discussing critical investment, decisions 3 for national security, energy, transportation and for 4 our communities. We're going to be covering a lot of 5 ground. We'll be covering things that are important. 6 When you think about mixing the two economies 7 that exist side by side in our state, when you talk 8 about the economy of the wild resource way of life 9 that is commonly referred to as the subsistence way, 10 this is actually a very well-established economy in 11 our state. It is different -- differentiated from the 12 cash economy. But we acknowledge and recognize the 13 importance of both of these economies. But they each 14 must be protected. They each must be respected. 15 And the concerns that we'll talk about today 16 will range very broadly. And we're going to be 17 hearing from our different panels, the Congressional 18 Delegation, the Governor's office, the Lieutenant 19 Governor's office for the State of Alaska. 20 The Secretary of the Interior will be joining 21 us. And also we have members of our military who are 22 present with us as well, as well as the board of 23 directors for the AFN, Alaska Federation of Natives, 24 President Julie Kitka and our supporting staff. 25 16 COLONEL DON: Good morning. Thank you. I 17 want to first recognize our host for today, Secretary 18 Zinke, for hosting this event as well as our co-hosts, 19 Senators Murkowski, Sullivan and Congressman Young. 20 Also want to recognize the administration 21 officials who have taken time to be here today, OMB 22 Director, Mick Mulvaney; Mr. Bernhardt, Mr. Kennedy 23 and Mr. Wong, who are part -- with the Department of 24 Interior; NOAA; and the Small Business Administration. 25 Also want to recognize our military 1 leadership today. Got Lieutenant General Wilsbach 2 from the Alaskan Command, Major General Hummel from 3 the Alaska National Guard, and Rear Admiral McAllister 4 from the 17th Coast Guard District. 25 So the referenced document for today is our 1 2017 national security strategy. I want to highlight 2 the four pillars of our country's national security 3 strategy that was most recently released in December. 4 I'm going to talk about how Alaska supports 5 and complements those national security interests and 6 some of the key issues related to ensuring our great 7 state continues to contribute and build on those 8 priorities. 9 The first pillar is to protect the American 10 people, the homeland and the American way of life. A 11 layered missile defense system will defend our 12 homeland against missile strikes. Specifically, the 13 2017 national security strategy highlights a layered 14 missile defense capability which acts to defend the 15 homeland. The Alaska Army National Guard contributes 16 directly to this homeland defense mission, as one of 17 several states in the country with ground-based 18 missile capability. The 49th Missile Defense 19 Battalion located at Fort Greely in Delta Junction 20 serves as one of several layers of defense against 21 potential intercontinental ballistic missile and other 22 threats from nation states who wish to threaten 23 America, our citizens, and our way of life. 24 There's been recent action to increase the 25 number of -- or increase the capability of the 49th 1 Missile Defense Battalion, and these actions to 2 increase the missile defense footprint protecting the 3 homeland, again highlight the significance of Alaska 4 in our proximity to North Korea, China and Russia. 5 Number two, protect American prosperity. 6 We'll rejuvenate the American economy for the benefit 7 of the American workers and companies. Responsible 8 natural resource development will enhance America's 9 energy dominance and stimulate our economy. 10 Alaska has always played a key role in energy 11 security from the discovery of oil on the North Slope 12 to our most recent agreements negotiated by our 13 governor, with China, for liquified natural gas. In 14 addition, the 37-year wait on drilling in the Arctic 15 National Wildlife Refuge will continue to improve our 16 country's energy independence and security. 17 Alaska also has several other natural 18 resource projects such as the Donlin Creek Mine in 19 Western Alaska that will continue to play a role in 20 the national economy and strengthen the economies of 21 our state and the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. 22 Federal, state and local governments will 23 work together with private industry to improve our 24 airports, our seaports, waterways, roads, railways, 25 transit systems and telecommunications. 1 The United States will use our strategic 2 advantage as a leading natural gas producer to 3 transform transportation and manufacturing. Alaska's 4 transportation, our seaports, airports, waterways, 5 roads and railway are critical needs, to continue to 6 enhance our strategic contributions to our growing 7 security footprint and development of our energy 8 projects. 9 The vastness of our state coastline and 10 limited road, airport and seaport infrastructure will 11 require cooperation from the administration, state, 12 and private industry to continue to provide support to 13 the national security strategy and continue to promote 14 American prosperity. 15 Number three, preserve peace through strength 16 by rebuilding our military so that it remains 17 preeminent and it deters our adversaries and, if 18 necessary, to fight and win. 19 Alaska has an Army and Air Force footprint. 20 United States Army Alaska and the Alaskan Command. 21 This Army and Air Force footprint has and will 22 continue to contribute to the global war on tourism 23 and active conflict areas in Iraq and Afghanistan and 24 other parts of the world. 25 Recently, the Department of Defense selected 1 Eielson Air Force Base to receive two squadrons of 2 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. This basing decision, 3 along with other military capabilities, continues to 4 reinforce strategic significance of Alaska and the 5 importance of our state in protecting our vital 6 national interests that have in recent weeks become 7 even more important. 8 Number four, advance American influence. 9 Allies and partners magnify our power. We expect them 10 to shoulder a fair share of the burden of 11 responsibility to protect against common threats. 12 In this area, the Alaska Army National Guard 13 plays a small but important role in what is referred 14 to as the security cooperation program. 15 The Alaska National Guard participates in 16 what is called the state partnership program, national 17 Guard states that are partnered with countries who 18 aspire democratic values and are formed within their 19 military. 20 Alaska has partnered with Mongolia, a country 21 who has a history with some of our potential 22 adversaries. Northeast Asia is a critical part of the 23 world in an area where we have guardsmen in country 24 working with the Mongolian military on issues of 25 military professionalism as well as tactics, 1 techniques and procedures for domestic response, 2 something the National Guard knows plenty about. 3 More importantly, Mongolia has pledged 4 soldiers as part of the NATO coalitions in Iraq and 5 Afghanistan, under the condition that National 6 Guardsmen accompany them into country as advisers, a 7 significant nod to the importance of that relationship 8 and our contributions to that national security 9 interest. 10 To prevail, we must integrate all elements of 11 national power, political, economic and military. All 12 of these instruments of power are present, and the 13 Alaska National Guard is playing a small but important 14 role in this task. 15 So Alaska is in a key place for our country's 16 security architecture and a key player in our 17 country's national security strategy as we've 18 discussed very briefly here, in reviewing the four 19 pillars of our administration's national security 20 strategy. 21 As we've highlighted the needs and 22 contributions of Alaska, our requirements all touch 23 the pillars of our national security strategy and our 24 interests. And they require improvements in our 25 airport, our seaports, road networks and basic 1 infrastructure to continue to support the overall 2 strategy and economy. 3 Alaska has, over the years, assumed a key 4 place in our country's aspiration for energy 5 independence, in the most recent developments within 6 the last few months with our liquified natural gas 7 agreements and ANWR. And several large-scale natural 8 resource projects have the potential to continue to 9 move the needle forward on our country's energy 10 security and independence. 11 In a security environment, the United States 12 has acknowledged the strategic investments our 13 potential adversaries have made within their 14 militaries. The U.S. must remain predominant to 15 achieve our diplomatic and economic goals. This 16 instrument of power allows our leaders to talk from a 17 position of strength. 18 Alaska's strategic location and the country's 19 investments in our security footprint to provide an 20 increased missile defense, increasing air and Army 21 capability will do much to protect our vital national 22 interests. 23 In energy, energy dominance means preserving 24 and enhancing the United States' position at the 25 center of the global energy system, as a leading 1 producer, consumer and innovator in the energy sector. 2 Energy dominance allows us to boost U.S.