Senate committee reports out resolution backing military growth, urging infrastructure support

The Senate State Affairs Committee on March 31 adopted a committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 30, which expresses legislative support for the military and calls for increased infrastructure investments, and reported the resolution out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note.

Samuel Marquardt, committee staff, told members the substitute adds references to partner operations in the Arctic and Indo‑Pacific, expands language to address mission growth as well as personnel growth, and explicitly cites housing shortages at Eielson Air Force Base as an infrastructure strain example. He also said the draft expands dual‑use infrastructure language to include utilities, power and communications, seaport and airfield development, lodging, hangars, roads and railways and adds resilience language at stakeholders’ request.

Vice Chair Senator Bjorkman moved to adopt the working document; Chair Kawasaki removed an initial objection and the committee agreed to report the substitute out of committee with individual recommendations and a fiscal note attached.

The committee action sends the resolution forward with those recommendations and an attached fiscal note, enabling further consideration by the full Senate.