Stevens discusses challenges while campaigning

PALMER -- U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, in Palmer on a round of campaign stops, spoke to Palmer Kiwanis members about changes affecting his offices in Washington D.C. following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as well as his plans for the upcoming session and hopes for Alaska's leadership.

"This was one of the most strange and difficult sessions of Congress I've had in my 34 years of being there," Stevens said.

He cited the anthrax attack that closed his offices between Oct. 2001 and Feb. 2002, as well as the changes to mail procedures that have resulted. Letters, he said, are delayed in reaching his office because they are now irradiated and checked for potential contamination.

The summer party-change by U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont from Republican to Independent, Stevens said, added to confusion by giving the Democratic Party a 50-49-seat advantage.

"We've had nothing but an absolute collision in the Senate since then," Stevens said. "I don't understand why Jim did what he did … but he has changed the dynamics of Congress to a great extreme."

Stevens, in discussing the issues now facing lawmakers in the nation's capitol, said he, as one of only seven World War II veterans left in the Senate, was glad to see passage of the Congressional authorization allowing Pres. George W. Bush to invade Iraq in a preliminary strike.

"Sixteen times, the U.S. issued mandates Iraq to following their surrender in the Gulf War," Stevens said. "Sixteen times, he has just ignored them."

Turning his attention to issues facing the Valley specifically, Stevens said he and U.S. Rep. Don Young and Sen. Frank Murkowski have continued to work on the Knik Arm Crossing and, although funding may not immediately be available, he's confident it can be secured.

"We are working on that very seriously," Stevens said. "I'm very pleased to see the total cooperation of people."

Stevens said the Congressional confusion, in addition to funding issues brought on by the potential war with Iraq and added funding discussed for a department of homeland security, may mean Alaska doesn't get as much added funding for special projects as Alaskans have become accustomed to.

"We get a lot of things people call pork," Stevens said. "What it is is earmarking dollars so they come to Alaska. Those earmarked dollars are in trouble … The money we earmarked for specific programs would not be authorized this coming year."

Stevens said projects hoping for startup funds will likely not receive money, while projects that were slated for funding over the course of several years will.

"If you have a project that got funding for this year, that funding will carry on," Stevens said. "You would not get any increase [in funds] in 2003."

In addition to requesting that voters keep him in mind when they visit the polls on Nov. 5, Stevens asked voters to go a step further and vote for a team of Republicans, saying it would guarantee future success for Alaskans.

"No state has ever kept a complete delegation together for as many years as Alaska has kept theirs," Stevens said. "We have been a team and we want to stay a team."

Stevens said he believed if Murkowski became Alaska's governor, his appointed replacement would have the seniority edge above other incoming senators. The new junior senator would be able to lean on Stevens' and Young's experience as a guide for his first years and, he said, Alaska would be grooming a replacement team.

"We're not getting any younger," Stevens said.

When asked after the debate why Stevens was on the campaign trail for Murkowski, the senator said the shared stumping was not unusual.

"We're all three campaigning for each other," Stevens said. "This is the first time we've all three run at the same time."