PRINTER'S NO. 1318
No. 88 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY HASAY, CAPPABIANCA AND SERAFINI, APRIL 16, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 16, 1991
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President of the United States and the
2 Department of State to recognize Alaska's interest in the
3 boundary negotiations between the United States and the
4 Soviet Union and to include Alaska in the negotiating process
5 at the proper time, recognizing Alaska's inherent interest in
6 these negotiations.
7 WHEREAS, Negotiations are underway and have continued since
8 1981 between the United States Department of State and the
9 government of the Soviet Union in an effort to determine the
10 status of five strategic Alaskan arctic islands and an immense
11 outer continental shelf; and
12 WHEREAS, The economic issues of petroleum, fishery and other
13 valuable resources will have great impact on Alaska's welfare
14 and prosperity; and
15 WHEREAS, Among all American states, Alaska is unique in that
16 it is the only state that shares its boundaries with more than
17 one foreign country; and
18 WHEREAS, Its boundaries are of vital importance to Alaska's
19 State Government and the sovereignty of the United States; and
20 WHEREAS, Alaska has, to date, not been included in any of the
1 negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union; and
2 WHEREAS, Article II, section 2(2) of the United States
3 Constitution which states: "He (the President) shall have Power,
4 by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate to make
5 Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur..."
6 makes the President the official responsible for international
7 agreements and treaties with the Senate's consent with no
8 implied or stated right of any state to be included in or
9 consent to the terms of any boundary dispute; and
10 WHEREAS, During 1842, the United States Secretary of State
11 Daniel Webster negotiated with Lord Ashburton, the British
12 envoy, over a disputed boundary along the border between Canada
13 and the states of Maine and Massachusetts; a dispute which began
14 at the close of the American Revolution and continued for 60
15 years bringing the two countries to the brink of war; and
16 WHEREAS, Secretary of State Webster, knowing that treaties
17 require approval by two-thirds of the Senators present and
18 subsequent ratification by the President, did, in an attempt to
19 gain support in the Senate for the treaty and with President
20 Tyler's approval, propose to Lord Ashburton that commissioners
21 from the two states be asked to participate in the negotiations.
22 With Lord Ashburton's consent, four commissioners from Maine and
23 three from Massachusetts were appointed to join the
24 negotiations. Webster thereby established a precedent which
25 would allow inclusion of states in future boundary negotiations
26 when necessary; therefore be it
27 RESOLVED, That the President of the United States and the
28 Department of State take the example set by Secretary of State
29 Daniel Webster in negotiating the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of
30 1842 by including Alaska, at the earliest appropriate time in
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1 their ongoing boundary negotiation, thereby recognizing Alaska's
2 inherent interests in the establishment of this boundary; and be
3 it further
4 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
5 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President of the
6 United States and the Department of State to recognize Alaska's
7 interest in the boundary negotiations between the United States
8 and the Soviet Union and to include Alaska in the negotiating
9 process at the proper time; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
11 the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the
12 Vice President of the United States as the presiding officer of
13 the Senate, to each member of the Senate and to the Governor of
14 Alaska.
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