Young RSS Articles

* MEDIA ALERT *

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Alaskan Congressman Don Young will hold an open forum in Ketchikan, Alaska on Monday, November 23, 2009 at noon. Rep. Young will update attendees on Congressional issues and take comments and questions from the audience.

What: Open Forum with Congressman Young
When: Monday, November 23, 2009
Time: 12:00pm
Where: Sunny Point Conference Room, Best Western Landing

Please contact Meredith Kenny with any questions at Meredith.kenny1@mail.house.gov or (202) 427-2476

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Rep. Young Votes For Responsible Medicare Reimbursement Fix

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young voted this afternoon in favor of the Republican alternative to H.R. 3691, the Democrat’s “Doc Fix.” The Republican alternative would provide physicians with a 2% Medicare payment rate increase in each of the next four years; would erase the scheduled 21% cut in 2010 and the roughly 5% cuts in 2011, 2012, and 2013; and would avert the scheduled Medicare physician cuts in a fiscally responsible way by including reforms that would fully offset the cost of the bill. Unlike H.R. 3691, the alternative would not increase the deficit.

“I fully support fixing the formula by which Medicare doctors are paid (the Sustainable Growth Rate), but it should be offset by curbing other spending rather than leaving the responsibility for a future generation to finance,” said Rep. Young. “The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that H.R. 3961 will cost $210 billion with no offsets for the funding AND that it would raise seniors’ Medicare premiums by nearly $50 billion over ten years. With no way to fund the bills that keep coming before us, we are breaking the bank.

“The Majority is repeatedly trying to pass quick fixes to add notches to their belts, without thinking of the damage being done to future generations and to our economy. I absolutely believe that Medicare should reimburse physicians fairly to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to the health care they need. We are having an especially big issue with this in Alaska, and it needs to be fixed sooner rather than later. But we can and need to do it responsibly and not haphazardly, and that is why I voted for the alternative.”

The Republican Alternative would avert the scheduled Medicare physician cuts by including reforms that would fully offset the cost of the bill. These reforms would:

Implement comprehensive, meaningful medical liability reform, ending junk lawsuits and costly defensive medicine by protecting doctors from overzealous trial lawyers who are looking to get rich quick (savings of $54 billion)
Use existing resources available to the Health and Human Services Secretary contained in the “Medicare Improvement Fund,” which is designed to improve physician payments (savings of $22.3 billion)
Create an approval process at FDA for biosimilar products with appropriate patent and market protections that continue to encourage innovation, providing Americans with access to affordable biologics and reducing the cost of health insurance (savings of $5.7 billion)
Enact health insurance administrative simplification policies, eliminating inefficiencies that unnecessarily drive up health care costs, by creating greater standardization in health care forms and transactions (savings of $19 billion).

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Rep. Young Votes In Support Of Native Business Development

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young voted this afternoon in favor of H.R. 1834, the Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009, which would amend the Small Business Act to expand and improve the assistance provided to Indian tribe members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

“The development of the Native business community is integral to the culture and economy of Alaska,” said Rep. Young. “We need to make it attractive for businesses to open and grow in Alaska so that we can continue to be a strong state. I will always offer any support I can to that effort, and this bill will most certainly work towards that goal.”

The Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009:

· Authorizes the SBA's Administrator (acting through the Associate Administrator) to: (1) operate a Tribal Business Information Centers program that provides Native American populations with business training and entrepreneurial development assistance; (2) designate entities as centers; (3) contribute agency personnel and resources to the centers; and (4) make grants to the centers.

· Allows any eligible applicant to apply for an additional grant to assist with outreach, development, and enhancement on Indian lands of small business startups and expansions owned by Indian tribe members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Requires for eligibility, that the applicant be in a state in which the combined Indian Tribe members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians make up at least 1% of the state's total population.

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Rep. Young Earns Distinction Of Most Successful Congressman According To GovTrack

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – According to www.govtrack.us, an independent, nonpartisan website that tracks Congress, Alaskan Congressman Don Young is the most successful Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives having brought to the floor the greatest number of bills that were later enacted into law.

“When I learned of this news this afternoon, I was very happily surprised,” said Rep. Young. “I have not kept score over the years; working with and for Alaskans, I have only kept pushing forward to get the job done. In my 36 years in Congress I have served in both the Majority and Minority, and I think that this distinction is a great example of what a Member can accomplish when they are willing to work with both sides of the aisle. I did not get to where I am by being a partisan player; over the years I’ve befriended Members of both parties and worked with them to do right by Alaska.”

GovTrack is a tool meant to help the public research and track the activities in the U.S. Congress; their legislative data stretches back to 1990. Per their research, Congressman Young has had 56 of his bills signed into law since 1991. Since Congressman Young entered Congress in 1973, he has had 68 pieces of his legislation signed into law.

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Rep. Young’s Statement On The Resignation Of Drue Pearce

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement this afternoon on the resignation of Drue Pearce as Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Project. Pearce was appointed to the position by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 2006.

“Drue’s resignation is a loss for Alaska,” said Rep. Young. “She has been a great supporter of the natural gas pipeline and a wonderful advocate for Alaskan resources. While I understand that it is the President’s right to appoint someone of his choosing, I am sorry that Drue will not be able to see this project through to completion. However, I appreciate the President’s commitment to this project and I am confident he will appoint someone with as much dedication as she has shown over the past few years. It has been a pleasure working with Drue and I wish her the best of luck in the future.”

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Op-Ed: House health care bill was bad for Alaskans

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Like most Americans, I am worried about the health care crisis in our country. In Alaska, 17 percent of the population is uninsured. Some of these individuals work for small businesses that cannot afford to offer insurance like larger employers do; some make a conscious decision not to purchase insurance because they are young and healthy and do not want to spend the money on it; and others have just fallen through the cracks.

I have supported several bills in Congress that address the issues of pre-existing conditions, allow purchasing insurance across state lines, grant small businesses and self-employed individuals the same tax benefits as larger companies for purchasing insurance, give incentives to health care providers to practice in rural locations, and increase Medicare payments for providers.

However, while there are some good aspects to H.R. 3962, which passed the House Nov. 7, there are more provisions that will harm Alaskans than would help them, and that is why I voted "no."

The bill expands Medicaid but passes a large chunk of that new expansion's cost to the states, taking funding away from other state programs, like education and transportation.

It makes deep cuts to the Medicare program, totaling $500 billion over 10 years. The cuts include payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals, which almost every hospital in Alaska receives. The rates are cut by 50 percent even though the hospitals treat a higher percentage of low-income patients.

Further, Americans who do not maintain "acceptable health insurance coverage" would have to pay the bill's new individual mandate tax (generally 2 1/2 percent of income). Those who don't pay the individual mandate tax are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

Additionally, it requires that companies purchase insurance or be penalized 8 percent of their payrolls which will cost at least 5.5 million jobs, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Finally, it takes Alaska's neediest kids off Denali KidCare over the next few years and gives them inferior coverage under Medicaid.

Unfortunately, that's just the beginning.

What I do support is lowering the cost of care and making it more accessible. This is why I supported the GOP alternative to the health care bill, which the CBO found would lower insurance premiums by an average of 10 percent, and cosponsored H.R. 2516, the Medical Rights Act, and H.R. 3218, the Improving Health Care for All Americans Act.

H.R. 2516 would allow low-income families not enrolled in public programs to decide whether to join public programs or opt into private plans through advanceable tax credits. It also grants small businesses and self-employed individuals the same tax incentives that large corporations receive for purchasing insurance for employees; reforms malpractice lawsuits; and increases the health care workforce through programs, grants, and tax incentives.

H.R. 3218 would provide a refundable and advanceable tax credit of up to $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 per family for medical costs. The bill creates new avenues for affordable health care for the sickest Americans through high-risk pools and reinsurance mechanisms and makes health care more portable so individuals will not need to stay at a job to keep their health coverage. It does that by expanding the insurance pools Americans can choose to join. The need for health care reform is real, but the bill that was just passed was not the right one for Alaska and not the right one for the country. I thank the huge number of Alaskans who called my office to let their views on the bill be known. My promise to all of you is that I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to address needed change to the health care system, hoping that we can find bipartisan solutions that will work for Americans.

[Anchorage Daily News]

Rep. Young Commends Our Nation’s Veterans

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young (U.S. Army 1955-1957) released the following statement in recognition of our Nation’s veterans.

“Today we remember and celebrate those who were willing to risk everything so that we could stand here today, secure in our freedoms. Our Nation’s veterans and their families are truly an incredibly special group of people; let us remember those that have so bravely risked their lives, so that we may have the freedoms that we enjoy daily, and especially those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today.

“This year, we lost several Alaskans in the War on Terror and I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of our fallen service members. I would like to remember those killed at Fort Hood and extend my deepest sympathies to their families as well.

“Thank you to every soldier past and present who has chosen to serve this country and its people, to keep us the strong union we are. Thank you and God bless.”

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Rep. Young Comments On Vote To Rescind American Freedom

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today, following the passage of Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of health care:

“I am scared and disappointed by the wheeling and dealing, and political tactics that led to the passage of this bill,” said Rep. Young. “Thousands and thousands of people made their voices heard this week on Capitol Hill, and they were all ignored by Speaker Pelosi. Instead, she chose to feed her ego, by pushing through one of the largest taxes on the American people. This bill doesn’t include accessibility, portability, or affordability. What it does include is insurance without access. What is the point of holding an insurance card if you can’t find a doctor who will accept it? Insurance is only one small portion of a much larger problem, and this bill ignores that. This is more about political tactics than what’s good for this country, and it’s shameful.”

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Rep. Young Commends Alaska State Chamber on Transportation Access Positions;

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement this afternoon in support of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce and their recognition of the need for the Knik Arm Crossing and the Glacier Highway Extension which would connect Kensington Mine to the existing highway system:

“The road to Kensington Mine and the Knik Arm Crossing are absolutely necessary to the growth and development of our great state, and the recognition of that by the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce is important to the progress of these projects,” said Rep. Young. “A state and a country cannot grow and prosper without the development of its own resources and without a proper transportation system. Quite obviously I’ve always been a vocal supporter of the Knik Arm Crossing; it has been a transportation priority for Alaska for decades and is a necessary addition to our undersized transportation system.

“The extension of Glacier Highway to Kensington Mine would be invaluable for the communities in Juneau and Southeast. The connection to the highway would help increase business, and in turn, prosperity. One of the things that makes our state so great is the abundance of God-given natural resources. It is our duty to safely develop those resources for our people and efficiently deliver them. Getting this road done will be the first leg of the Juneau Access Improvements Project, an invaluable road system for Juneau that will improve access, cut down on traffic, and reduce costs.

“I commend and support the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce for recognizing the importance of these projects and look forward to working with them and the great people of Alaska in the future, in seeing them become a reality. I’ve worked hard in Congress to provide the funds for these programs and I look forward to seeing them to completion.”

The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce listed the Glacier Highway Extension and Knik Arm Bridge Support under Transportation Access in their Legislative Positions for 2010

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Delegation Announces Grants and Contracts to Alaska Programs

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants and contracts awarded to communities in the State of Alaska:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

$1,651,481.25 to Emmonak in order to repair Emmonak's water and sewer system, which was damaged during the disaster.

USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program:

$85,000 to Chefornak Traditional Council in order to help provide safe drinking water and improve wastewater treatment systems for the area. As well as, increase employment opportunities, improve the health of families and communities, and protect the environment for future generations.

Department of the Army – Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison

$ 29, 958, 521 to AKIMA Logistics Services in order to provide vehicle operations and vehicle maintenance.

National Endowment for the Arts:

$ 10, 000 to Alaska Dance Theatre, Inc in order to support a performance by the Alaskan Dance Theatre.
$ 25, 000 to Anchorage Concert Association, Inc in order to support music and theater presentations at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.
$ 20,000 to Anchorage Museum association in order to support the exhibition True North: Contemporary Art in the Circumpolar North, with accompanying catalogue.
$ 5000 to Juneau Arts and Humanities Council in order to support a series of workshops and professional development opportunities for southeast Alaska artists and cultural organizations.
$ 9000 to Juneau Jazz & Classics, Inc in order to support the Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival.
$ 15, 000 to Perseverance Theatre, Inc in order to support a production of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Emma Griffin and the world premiere of The Blue Bear by Luan Schooler directed by Leon Ingulsrud.