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Alaskan Congressman Don Young applauded today’s announcement from the U.S Postal Service (USPS) that it will keep thousands of rural post offices open. Specifically, instead of closing post offices, the new plan allows rural communities to keep their post offices open with reduced hours. This new plan will be implemented over the next two years and would not be completed until September 2014. The... Read more »

After attending the first formal meeting of House-Senate Conferees for the next Highway Bill, Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement: “Today’s meeting was a good first step in a process that I am quite familiar with. This Committee has a tough task ahead as we look to craft a multi-year highway bill that not only funds transportation projects, but also cuts red tape and re... Read more »

In a letter sent today, Alaskan Congressman Don Young called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to explain why its agents have been visiting Alaskan gun dealers and asking for copies of their gun sale records (bound books and 4473 forms). While BATFE agents are permitted to conduct routine compliance inspections, federal law strictly forbids the removal or copying o... Read more »

After being appointed today by the Speaker of the House to serve as a Conferee for the House-Senate Conference of the next Highway Bill, Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement: “As the author of the last long-term highway bill, I am both pleased and honored to be named to the Conference Committee today. We are tasked with crafting a bill that is acceptable to both the Sena... Read more »

Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today after voting for H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Deduction Act – a bill that will allow a small business (fewer than 500 employees) to take a 20% tax deduction: “Whenever I go home to Alaska, small business owners from across the state seem to agree on one thing – they are both overtaxed and overregulated. Instead of having money ... Read more »

Alaskan Congressman Don Young voted today for H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012 a bill that includes, among other things, Rep. Young’s provision that would allow for the importation of polar bear trophies that were hunted and harvested legally in Canada before the polar bear was listed as “threatened” in 2008. “The House passed a good, common-sense piece of legislation today,” said ... Read more »

Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today in response to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) approving Shell’s Oil Response Plan (OSRP) for the Beaufort Sea: “Today’s approval of Shell’s Response Plan puts the state of Alaska one step closer towards development in the Beaufort Sea. As gas prices continue to rise and unemployment continues to hover a... Read more »

Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today on the two-year anniversary of ObamaCare being signed into law: “Today marks the two-year anniversary of the single worst piece of legislation I have seen signed into law. I have maintained all along that in order to improve our health care system we must address three aspects: accessibility, portability and affordability. Instea... Read more »

After gathering input from many groups across the country, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, Congressman Don Young (AK) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA) have introduced H.R. 4164, The Space Available Act of 2012. This crucial piece of legislation would expand full Space Available travel benefits on military aircraft to “gray area” retirees (National Guard members or Reservists... Read more »

Alaska Congressman Don Young released the following statement today regarding the release of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s environmental impact statement for the road connecting King Cove and Cold Bay: "The residents of King Cove have been waiting for over 20 years to build this road and today's news is a step in the right direction. The next step in this process is for Alaskans to comment ... Read more »