Alaskans,
It was another busy week in Washington, D.C.! There were significant developments this week on many topics including infrastructure, fisheries, and subsistence rights. I wanted to take a moment to update you on my work on behalf of all Alaskans. As always, if you have any concerns about legislation or need assistance with a federal agency, do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Don Young
Congressman for All Alaska
Nearly $1 Billion for Alaska’s Infrastructure
Click here or on the image above for my video message on infrastructure funding.
BIG News for Alaska!
This week, 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 by clicking here.
Relief for Alaska’s Fisheries
Today, the Department of Commerce announced that fishery disasters have occurred in several Alaskan fisheries. This declaration allows them to receive critical relief funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding can be distributed to fishermen, crews, seafood processors, and research initiatives in the impacted areas.
Our state's fisheries are a central part of our economy and way of life, particularly for Alaska Natives who have harvested fish from our waters for millennia. The past couple of years have been tough for Alaska's fisheries, causing immense pain for our hardworking fishing communities. Today's news from the Department of Commerce is a bright spot for our fishermen, processors, and others who rely on a strong and vibrant seafood sector. I want to thank Secretary Raimondo for declaring a fisheries disaster and working with the Alaska Delegation to invest this critical relief in our state. In Congress, I will continue standing up for commercial, subsistence, and recreational fishing across Alaska.
For a full list of impacted fisheries, click here.
Standing Up for Subsistence Trapping Rights
Click here or on the image above to watch my questioning.
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.
Click here to watch my questioning.
Securing American Leadership in the Arctic
We are an Arctic nation because of Alaska, and that means our state is of great strategic importance. In Congress, I have worked hard to educate my colleagues from the Lower 48 on just how vital the region is to our economy, national security, and international relation. This week, I had a very productive interview with Defense One on my work on Arctic policy and the successful creation of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. Keep an eye out for the article, I hope you’ll read it!
