I'm a strong supporter of Alaska's aerospace sector, and I proudly secured $11 million in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to support Alaska's launch operations.
Congratulations to Astra on Tuesday's successful launch from Kodiak's Pacific Spaceport Complex.
America's Last Frontier is leading the way into the Final Frontier! 🚀
Did you miss today's #Take5Live on Facebook Live?
Thank you to all the Alaskans who participated! Catch up with today's episode below.
I'll be doing these regularly, so stay tuned for our next topic. I look forward to answering your questions!
Did you miss my first #Take5Live on Facebook Live? Thank you to all the Alaskans who participated! Catch up with today's episode below.
I'll be doing these regularly, so stay tuned for our next topic. I look forward to answering your questions!
Today is the Day of Remembrance, commemorated every year on the anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order (EO) 9066, which authorized the internment of Japanese Americans – our fellow citizens.
This year's anniversary is particularly solemn, as it marks 80 years since this horrific EO was signed. The forced internment of our fellow citizens during World War II is one of the darkest chapters in our history. The fact that it occurred during my lifetime highlights just how fresh a wound this is for Japanese Americans across the nation.
Growing up, I remember attending local Farm Bureau meetings with my father. I will never forget how he courageously stood publicly against the internment, repeatedly pointing out that these were our fellow citizens and friends. Interning our Japanese American neighbors was an evil act that not only deprived them of their life and property, but also their dignity.
The grave injustice of internment reached Alaska as well. In 1942, hundreds of Unangax̂ people from nine villages in the Aleutians were forced onto cramped transport ships as they watched their homes and churches set ablaze. For years, these innocent people were forced to live in poor conditions, often without clothes, plumbing, or electricity.
In 1988, I proudly helped pass the Civil Liberties Act. I worked hard to ensure it included comprehensive restitution for both Japanese Americans and the Alaska Natives who suffered at the hands of this egregious government policy. It was my honor to attend the bill signing, which included my legislation to acknowledge this terrible wrong and provide compensation for Japanese Americans and the Alaska Natives from the Aleutians.
That year, I spoke on the House Floor in support of this legislation, and I hope you'll watch my full speech below. I continue working to ensure this dark era is never forgotten. This Congress, I'm a proud co-sponsor of legislation to preserve confinement sites and to continue ed
Yesterday, at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing, I raised the point that we cannot pick and choose which voices to listen to when it comes to the federal government and Tribal consultation. y
Those on the fringes of the environmental movement continue their push to lock up Alaska forever. Although these extremists insist that they want Alaska Native voices to be heard, they regularly ignore Alaska Native communities that support responsible resource development.
It was my honor to invite North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, Jr to testify before yesterday's virtual committee hearing. He is a respected Alaska Native leader whose perspective is crucially important in any debate over development. Harry has witnessed how resource development and conservation can go hand-in-hand to benefit schools, public services, and local economies.
I want to thank Harry for being up early with us and testifying before my colleagues. I am grateful to everyone who helped make our hearing possible, and I hope they enjoyed seeing my year-round Christmas tree in the background.
Today, it was my honor to help pass the Postal Service Reform Act.
I have always been a strong supporter of the United States Postal Service (USPS) and its mission. Given our size, Alaska relies on USPS more than any other state. Their services are crucial, and if you don't think so, try living in areas in Alaska off the road system!
The longtime requirement that USPS pre-fund retiree health benefits is an unfair burden. Virtually no other agency - public or private - is required to do this. The Postal Service Reform Act takes needed action to empower USPS to continue funding benefits without impacting services.
Whether it's medication, packages, or any other mail, USPS services are a vital lifeline to Alaskans. In Congress, I'll keep fighting so that USPS can deliver for my constituents for years to come.
Watch today's full speech from the House Floor in support of this bill below, and read more here: https://bit.ly/3JdztJv
Thanks to Alex Bengel at KTVF Fairbanks for covering my Alaskan Infrastructure Roundtable. This initiative is your opportunity to share priorities for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's grant programs with me.
Click here to join the conversation: https://bit.ly/3rym74C
This week, it was my honor to address members of the Alaska House Labor and Commerce Committee.
There is great misinformation out there, so let me set the record straight: Alaska is set to receive roughly $6700 per resident from the infrastructure law – that means we do better than any other state!
As Congress drafted the infrastructure bill, I worked hard to ensure Alaska was well represented. We’ve already received over $1 billion, and I look forward to continued collaboration with members of the Alaska State Legislature from both parties as we work to secure a bright infrastructure future for Alaska.
Watch my full address here ⬇️
I love Alaska's great outdoors and have spent a good deal of time trapping in our state. Trapping is misunderstood by many, and that's a shame.
These ill-conceived notions are especially insulting to our Alaska Native communities. For millennia, Alaska Natives have been providing for their families by trapping. Even today, subsistence trapping remains common. It's also an important tool for managing predators and invasive species.
Unfortunately, some of my colleagues from the Lower 48 have proposed a bill that includes no exemptions for Alaska Native subsistence trappers.
At this week's hearing of the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, I asked Mr. Stephen Guertin, Deputy Director for Policy at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, if the so-called Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act contained any accommodations for our subsistence trappers. He confirmed to me that as written, it did not.
This bill is dead wrong, and I'll continue standing up for Alaska's subsistence trappers.
Rep. Young Announces Nearly $1 Billion in Infrastructure Funding
BIG News for Alaska!
The Army Corps of Engineers announced that nearly $1 BILLION from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Alaska!
Here is the breakdown:
✔️$250 million for the Port of Nome expansion.
✔️$185 million for the flood diversion project in Lowell Creek.
✔️$88 million to upgrade the Moose Creek Damn near North Pole.
✔️$28 million for the Kenai River Coastal Erosion Project.
✔️$364 million in disaster assistance newly prioritized following the infrastructure bill’s enactment for the City of Barrow’s (Utqiaġvik) Coastal Erosion Project.
Last week, when I announced $25 million in funding for Denali's road system, I noted that this was just the beginning of historic investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law arriving in Alaska. This new funding announcement underscores our Delegation’s united efforts to ensure Alaska did well in the infrastructure bill.
Alaskans know just how critical these projects are for economic growth, global competitiveness, and national security. I am proud to have helped move the infrastructure bill in the House, and I thank our federal partners for recognizing the great need for safe, reliable infrastructure in our state.
Read more: https://bit.ly/3qJNmJ2
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I spoke with Peter Zampa of Alaska's News Source about the tragic events of that fateful day. I vividly remember first hearing of the attacks on my way into the Capitol.
May we never forget the innocent souls taken by great evil on that dark day.
The Olympics have officially ended, and I want to congratulate Team USA for coming out on top! 🇺🇸
I'm especially proud of Seward’s Lydia Jacoby, who won the gold medal in the 100 meter breaststroke and the silver in the 4x100 meter medley relay.
I recently recognized this remarkable Alaskan on the House Floor, and I know people across our state are looking forward to seeing what’s next for her.
Read more about Alaska’s own Lydia Jacoby: https://bit.ly/3AuUkUv
I want to speak personally with you today about COVID-19 vaccines.
With the rise of the Delta variant, getting vaccinated is more important than ever. I got vaccinated, and I am urging you to do the same. I did it so that I can stay healthy and so that my family, friends, and staff are protected as well.
There is much misinformation out there, so let me be clear: these vaccines are safe, effective, and cost you nothing; I was proud to support their development in Congress.
Please share this with a loved one who may still be undecided; it can help save a life.
Make your vaccine appointment here: http://covidvax.alaska.gov/
Today I spoke with Alana Austin of Gray DC about Olympian Lydia Jacoby’s incredible gold medal win in the 100m breaststroke.
Lydia is making headlines across the world today, and we can’t be more proud of her! 🥇
Rep. Young RDC 2021 Luncheon Remarks
Alaska is back! It was great to finally be LIVE and in-person with one another at the Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.'s 2021 member luncheon. Alaska is a resource-rich state, and it is crucial that we responsibly harness these resources — including our minerals — to strengthen America's economy and enhance our competitiveness.
Here's the truth: Alaska does it right. We balance development with environmental conservation FAR better than adversaries like Russia and China. In Congress, I will continue standing up for our Alaskan energy sector and the good-paying jobs it supports.
Watch my full remarks here⬇
I’m very proud of Mike, who is not only a member of my D.C. staff, but also a fellow veteran. Yesterday, on the longest day of the year, he helped his organization go the extra mile for the cause of Alzheimer’s Awareness. Their team paddled from Harper’s Ferry, W.V. to Washington, D.C. – a 17-hour and 62-mile journey for a worthy cause!
June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and I am proud to join countless advocates across the country to help raise awareness and share resources. Our military veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s. For them and for everyone suffering from this devastating disease, we must do all we can to #EndALZ.
To learn more and to find resources in your area, click here: https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources
Yesterday at the White House, right after President Biden signed my bill, the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (H.R. 1318) into law, Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan joined me for press conference on the upcoming cruise season, infrastructure, and the importance of working together as a united Delegation.
Watch here⬇
Moments after I passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (H.R. 1318) through the House, Senator Jesse Kiehl (D-Juneau) delivered a special order speech on the floor of the Alaska State Senate to celebrate this incredible moment for our state. I want to thank him for his kind words and support of this crucial bill.
We were counted out, but the impressive teamwork between the Alaska Delegation, Governor Mike Dunleavy, advocates in the State Legislature, the cruise industry, and countless stakeholders got this done. Saving a good portion of our summer cruise season will bring great relief and certainty to Southeast's hardworking families and businesses.
Alaska is open for business; come visit us!
🛳We did it – our Delegation is pretty doggon’ good!🛳
Today I passed H.R. 1318 through the House, putting Southeast Alaska back on track for our 2021 summer cruise season. This was a herculean effort. We were counted out; our mom and pop businesses that depend on tourism were told to simply get through to 2022. However, our small but mighty Delegation got it done. I worked with everyone on both sides of the aisle: Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, Republican Leader McCarthy, and the Biden Administration. It was all hands on deck, and our gamble paid off.
I want to thank Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Dan Sullivan, our staffs, and the countless stakeholders who help make this happen. Canada closed their ports, effectively ending our cruise season. Under the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, the Canadian port stop required under the Passenger Vessel Services Act is no longer necessary. Our bill is now on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law, and cruise passengers will soon be able to safely experience everything our state has to offer!
🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨
H.R. 1318 – the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act – my bill to waive the Passenger Vessel Services Act's (PVSA) foreign stop requirement to allow cruises to resume to Alaska has PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS and is now headed to President Biden's desk for his signature.
Today truly is a great day for the State of Alaska and our communities in Southeast!
When Canada closed their ports and refused to work with us, families and small businesses in Southeast Alaska were devastated. If ships couldn't stop in Canada to satisfy the PVSA, they couldn't sail to Alaska. Our tourism economy depends on the summer cruise season. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused undue stress for the Alaskan small businesses that rely on being able to welcome visitors from around the world. Families in Southeast have been kept awake at night from the stress-driven by uncertainty surrounding the upcoming season. Today's passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act brings urgently needed good news to our mom and pop small businesses. This bill solves one-half of the puzzle for the resumption of the 2021 Alaska cruise season, and now it is the CDC's turn to act decisively and promulgate the guidance the industry needs to set sail for Alaska. Even before we had effective vaccines, the CDC allowed airlines, trains, and other hospitality providers to operate unencumbered. On the other hand, cruise lines were singled out and held to a much more prohibitive standard that would have put the final nail in the coffin for the 2021 season. However, in recent weeks, I have worked with the Administration, and I want to thank them for seeing the bigger picture and honoring their commitment to work with the industry to find a path forward.
Today's bill passage comes at a critical time. Infections are down, mask mandates are being relaxed, and over 60% of the adult population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. We are turning a corner, and it is time to let our tourism sector get b
🌊WATCH🌊
I just left the House Floor after speaking in support of the COAST Research Act – legislation I helped introduce alongside my friend and bipartisan Oceans Caucus Co-Chair, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR).
Healthy oceans and waterways are essential to maintaining strong coastal communities and providing for a robust marine economy. Ocean acidification is an ongoing threat that must be tackled head-on if we are to ensure a bright economic future for Alaskans whose jobs depend on healthy oceans. Our bill makes critical investments to assist scientists in their understanding of ocean acidification and equips our coastal communities with the tools necessary to mitigate its devastating effects.
WATCH: I spoke on the House Floor in support of the Native American Child Protection Act (NACPA), which passed the House yesterday.
In Alaska and across the country, too many Indigenous children have been victims of violence, abuse, and neglect. Passage of NACPA is a positive development that will help us turn the tide in the fight against child abuse. I am very proud to have worked with my friend, Rep. Ruben Gallego, in addition to countless advocates on this urgently needed legislation.
Preventing violence and crime committed against our Native communities will always be one of my highest priorities, and I will continue working to ensure that Indigenous children everywhere can secure a safe, bright future.
Congressman Young Questions Secretary Buttigieg
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