Committee backs resolution asking Congress to designate 2025 as 'Year of the Soldier'

JUNEAU, Alaska — The House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs on May 13, 2025, reported House Joint Resolution 21 out of committee with individual recommendations and an accompanying fiscal note. HJR 21 encourages the U.S. Congress to designate 2025 as the Year of the Soldier.

Representative Ayesha, chair of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, opened public testimony on HJR 21; there were no in-person or online speakers. The committee had an amendment deadline of Friday, May 9 and received no amendments.

Representative Sam offered brief remarks linking the resolution to his district: “My community of Chuyakugo Eagle River was largely settled by people who came to Alaska to work at Fort Rich. Fort Richardson, many of the first homes were built with, scrap lumber and building materials from the, from the, from the trap, from the refill or the dump at Fort Rich. And since then, Eagle River, Cheugyak have been the home to an awful lot of active duty soldiers, an awful lot of veterans. And so there's a very tight integration between my district and the army.” He added, “I think it's very fitting and very laudable to recognize 250 years, 2 and a half centuries of the United States army.”

Representative Nelson, sponsor of HJR 21, was present. Representative Hall moved to report HJR 21 from committee; seeing no objection, the chair announced the resolution was reported out with individual recommendations and an accompanying fiscal note (recorded in the committee minutes).

The committee recessed briefly to sign the committee report before moving to the next item on the agenda.