Congressman Young's Washington Report

Washington Update Dear Alaskans,In the past two weeks, I have been hard at work on behalf of all Alaskans, and we have accomplished much together. Millions in infrastructure funding has been invested in our state, two of my legislative initiatives have been signed into law, and significant broadband resources are on their way to Alaska. These newsletters are a great way for me to update you directly on my work in Congress, and I hope you will take a moment to read my newsletter and share it with your friends and family. As always, should you have any questions or concerns about legislation before the House, do not hesitate to contact me to share your ideas.Sincerely,Don YoungCongressman for All AlaskaEmpowering Alaska Native CommunitiesThe President has signed another one of my bills into law! I was proud to serve as Republican leader on the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act, which makes practical policy improvements that help tribes enhance and expand their contracting opportunities. Now that this bill has been signed into law, tribes will be better able to tailor self-governance programs to suit their needs, thereby increasing their effectiveness and efficiency. I would like to thank my friend, Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and Chairman John Hoeven for their leadership on this legislation, and I look forward to our continued work together on behalf of Indigenous people across our country. Read more about my bill here.Millions in Broadband Funding for AlaskaBIG NEWS FOR ALASKA: $46 million from the USDA is on its way to expand broadband in our great state. Alaskans from our cities, rural areas, and Native villages all deserve access to high quality, reliable broadband. The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on the urgent need for internet access across our state.At this very moment, countless students are distance learning; working parents may be using the internet to learn new skills to help them succeed in the workforce; and some of our most vulnerable populations are utilizing telehealth services. We must ensure that all communities in our state are connected and empowered to thrive. I am grateful to Secretary Perdue for making these crucially needed investments in Alaska, and I remain confident that high-speed internet access will not only help our families prosper, but prepare our economy to come out of this pandemic stronger than ever before. Click here or on the image above to watch my remarks, and click here to read more about this important news.Breaking Cycles of Poverty in Alaska Native CommunitiesLegislation I supported to break cycles of poverty in Alaska Native communities has been signed into law! My late wife, my children, and my grandchildren are all Alaska Native. To me, breaking the cycle of poverty in Indian Country isn’t just an important policy goal, it’s personal. This legislation helps empower Indigenous entrepreneurs and boost investment in our Alaska Native communities. I am proud to have helped it get across the finish line, and I am grateful to President Trump for signing it into law. Tackling poverty and expanding opportunity in Native communities will continue to be a priority of mine. In Congress, I will always stand up for Alaska Natives and their entrepreneurial goals. Read more here.Relief for our Tourism EconomyThis week, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) released a report following a fact-finding investigation into the effects of COVID-19 on the cruise industry in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. Among other conclusions, the report determined that per-capita, Alaska’s travel and tourism industry has been impacted more than any other state. Alaska's tourism industry is one of the main pillars of our state's economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the families and businesses whose livelihoods depend on the 2.2 million annual visitors to our state, of which 1.4 million were projected to travel to Alaska by cruise ship in 2020. Alaskans know that the biggest driver of our tourism sector is the cruise industry. This pandemic has caused our state and its port cities to lose an entire cruise season, and with it, a full year of revenue. Our family-run businesses, which largely operate on a seasonal basis, are suffering. There is no question that we must continue to manage this virus and ensure that our state can safely reopen. Simply put, Americans must feel comfortable returning to Alaska. I am calling on Congress to take action. Several pieces of legislation, many with broad bipartisan support, will provide relief to states and businesses most impacted by COVID-19. Click here for more information about these bills and to read about how I am fighting for our tourism economy.$20 Million for Alaskan InfrastructureFollowing my advocacy directly to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the U.S. Maritime Administration has awarded a $19.78 million port infrastructure grant to the City of Seward and the Alaska Railroad Corporation, to help make needed improvements to the freight dock and corridor in Seward. Revitalizing and strengthening this port is crucial, and will help unleash new economic opportunities for Alaskans on the Peninsula and throughout the state, while also expanding vital transportation services to our rural communities and villages. I want to thank Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, Secretary Elaine Chao, and Seward Mayor Christy Terry for their steadfast partnership as we work to ensure Alaska’s infrastructure can deliver for years to come. To learn more, click here.The Japanese American Confinement Education ActThe forced internment of our fellow citizens through Executive Order 9066 is one of the darkest chapters in American history. The fact that it occurred during my lifetime highlights just how fresh of a wound this is for Japanese Americans across our country. In 1988, I was proud to support the Civil Liberties Act, which took crucial steps to acknowledge our nation's wrongdoing and to recommit ourselves to never letting racially-based incarceration happen again. It was my honor to attend the bill signing with President Reagan, which is pictured here.Tragically, many of our young people no longer study this terrible moment in history, which puts our ability to learn lessons from this era at risk. I am proud to join my friend, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), as we introduce the Japanese American Confinement Education Act. If we do not acknowledge, reconcile, and learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. This bill takes crucial steps to educate younger generations about the horrors of Japanese internment. It is my great hope that we take these lessons to heart, and honor the families who were devastated in the very country they called home. Read more about our bill here.Medicare Open EnrollmentAttention Medicare-eligible Alaskans! Medicare open enrollment is in full swing and lasts until December 7th. For enrollment questions, contact the Alaska Medicare Information Office at 1-800-478-6065. To ensure that you’re ready to enroll, and to learn more about health and prescription drug plans, click here.Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Land AllotmentsAlaska Native Vietnam Veterans put their lives on the line for our nation, and for too long, the federal government fell shamefully short of making good on the promises of land allotments made to them. I am very proud that with the support of tireless Alaska Native advocates, the Alaska Delegation, and the Administration, we have finally rectified this injustice. Unfortunately, we cannot get these heroes the land allotment they’ve earned if we cannot find them. 553 eligible Alaska Native Vietnam veterans in our state still cannot be located or reached, and we need YOUR help to spread the word.I encourage you to ask around for people in your family and community who served between 1964 and 1971, and get them in contact with the Bureau of Indian Affairs at (907) 271-4506. Click here for more ways to help.Keeping Fortymile Caribou Hunters SafeGood news for winter fortymile caribou hunters: The Bureau of Land Management has released two new maps to make identification of access and off-highway vehicle routes easier for our outdoorsmen. These maps will be an important tool to help hunters stay safe and to protect sensitive environmental areas near the Steese Highway during the upcoming caribou hunt. Learn more and access these maps by clicking here.National Teen Driver Safety WeekOctober 18th-24th is National Teen Driver Safety Week. Alaska’s geography and road systems are especially unique, which creates even more hazards for young people than in the Lower 48. This week and every week, I encourage you to talk with your children about the rules of the road so that we can help prevent tragedies and save lives. For tips on how to prepare your teen to be a capable, safe driver, click here.

Washington Update

Dear Alaskans,

In the past two weeks, I have been hard at work on behalf of all Alaskans, and we have accomplished much together. Millions in infrastructure funding has been invested in our state, two of my legislative initiatives have been signed into law, and significant broadband resources are on their way to Alaska. These newsletters are a great way for me to update you directly on my work in Congress, and I hope you will take a moment to read my newsletter and share it with your friends and family. As always, should you have any questions or concerns about legislation before the House, do not hesitate to contact me to share your ideas.

Sincerely,

Don Young

Congressman for All Alaska

Empowering Alaska Native Communities

The President has signed another one of my bills into law! I was proud to serve as Republican leader on the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act, which makes practical policy improvements that help tribes enhance and expand their contracting opportunities. Now that this bill has been signed into law, tribes will be better able to tailor self-governance programs to suit their needs, thereby increasing their effectiveness and efficiency. I would like to thank my friend, Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and Chairman John Hoeven for their leadership on this legislation, and I look forward to our continued work together on behalf of Indigenous people across our country. Read more about my bill here.

Millions in Broadband Funding for Alaska

BIG NEWS FOR ALASKA: $46 million from the USDA is on its way to expand broadband in our great state. Alaskans from our cities, rural areas, and Native villages all deserve access to high quality, reliable broadband. The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on the urgent need for internet access across our state.

At this very moment, countless students are distance learning; working parents may be using the internet to learn new skills to help them succeed in the workforce; and some of our most vulnerable populations are utilizing telehealth services. We must ensure that all communities in our state are connected and empowered to thrive. I am grateful to Secretary Perdue for making these crucially needed investments in Alaska, and I remain confident that high-speed internet access will not only help our families prosper, but prepare our economy to come out of this pandemic stronger than ever before. Click here or on the image above to watch my remarks, and click here to read more about this important news.

Breaking Cycles of Poverty in Alaska Native Communities

Legislation I supported to break cycles of poverty in Alaska Native communities has been signed into law! My late wife, my children, and my grandchildren are all Alaska Native. To me, breaking the cycle of poverty in Indian Country isn’t just an important policy goal, it’s personal. This legislation helps empower Indigenous entrepreneurs and boost investment in our Alaska Native communities. I am proud to have helped it get across the finish line, and I am grateful to President Trump for signing it into law. Tackling poverty and expanding opportunity in Native communities will continue to be a priority of mine. In Congress, I will always stand up for Alaska Natives and their entrepreneurial goals. Read more here.

Relief for our Tourism Economy

This week, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) released a report following a fact-finding investigation into the effects of COVID-19 on the cruise industry in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. Among other conclusions, the report determined that per-capita, Alaska’s travel and tourism industry has been impacted more than any other state. Alaska's tourism industry is one of the main pillars of our state's economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the families and businesses whose livelihoods depend on the 2.2 million annual visitors to our state, of which 1.4 million were projected to travel to Alaska by cruise ship in 2020. Alaskans know that the biggest driver of our tourism sector is the cruise industry. This pandemic has caused our state and its port cities to lose an entire cruise season, and with it, a full year of revenue. Our family-run businesses, which largely operate on a seasonal basis, are suffering. There is no question that we must continue to manage this virus and ensure that our state can safely reopen. Simply put, Americans must feel comfortable returning to Alaska.

I am calling on Congress to take action. Several pieces of legislation, many with broad bipartisan support, will provide relief to states and businesses most impacted by COVID-19. Click here for more information about these bills and to read about how I am fighting for our tourism economy.

$20 Million for Alaskan Infrastructure

Following my advocacy directly to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the U.S. Maritime Administration has awarded a $19.78 million port infrastructure grant to the City of Seward and the Alaska Railroad Corporation, to help make needed improvements to the freight dock and corridor in Seward. Revitalizing and strengthening this port is crucial, and will help unleash new economic opportunities for Alaskans on the Peninsula and throughout the state, while also expanding vital transportation services to our rural communities and villages. I want to thank Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, Secretary Elaine Chao, and Seward Mayor Christy Terry for their steadfast partnership as we work to ensure Alaska’s infrastructure can deliver for years to come. To learn more, click here.

The Japanese American Confinement Education Act

The forced internment of our fellow citizens through Executive Order 9066 is one of the darkest chapters in American history. The fact that it occurred during my lifetime highlights just how fresh of a wound this is for Japanese Americans across our country. In 1988, I was proud to support the Civil Liberties Act, which took crucial steps to acknowledge our nation's wrongdoing and to recommit ourselves to never letting racially-based incarceration happen again. It was my honor to attend the bill signing with President Reagan, which is pictured here.

Tragically, many of our young people no longer study this terrible moment in history, which puts our ability to learn lessons from this era at risk. I am proud to join my friend, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), as we introduce the Japanese American Confinement Education Act. If we do not acknowledge, reconcile, and learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. This bill takes crucial steps to educate younger generations about the horrors of Japanese internment. It is my great hope that we take these lessons to heart, and honor the families who were devastated in the very country they called home. Read more about our bill here.

Medicare Open Enrollment

Attention Medicare-eligible Alaskans! Medicare open enrollment is in full swing and lasts until December 7th. For enrollment questions, contact the Alaska Medicare Information Office at 1-800-478-6065. To ensure that you’re ready to enroll, and to learn more about health and prescription drug plans, click here.

Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Land Allotments

Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans put their lives on the line for our nation, and for too long, the federal government fell shamefully short of making good on the promises of land allotments made to them. I am very proud that with the support of tireless Alaska Native advocates, the Alaska Delegation, and the Administration, we have finally rectified this injustice. Unfortunately, we cannot get these heroes the land allotment they’ve earned if we cannot find them. 553 eligible Alaska Native Vietnam veterans in our state still cannot be located or reached, and we need YOUR help to spread the word.

I encourage you to ask around for people in your family and community who served between 1964 and 1971, and get them in contact with the Bureau of Indian Affairs at (907) 271-4506. Click here for more ways to help.

Keeping Fortymile Caribou Hunters Safe

Good news for winter fortymile caribou hunters: The Bureau of Land Management has released two new maps to make identification of access and off-highway vehicle routes easier for our outdoorsmen. These maps will be an important tool to help hunters stay safe and to protect sensitive environmental areas near the Steese Highway during the upcoming caribou hunt. Learn more and access these maps by clicking here.

National Teen Driver Safety Week

October 18th-24th is National Teen Driver Safety Week. Alaska’s geography and road systems are especially unique, which creates even more hazards for young people than in the Lower 48. This week and every week, I encourage you to talk with your children about the rules of the road so that we can help prevent tragedies and save lives. For tips on how to prepare your teen to be a capable, safe driver, click here.