The U.S. House has passed a bill to keep the Coast Guard operating at the current spending level.
Alaska Congressman Don Young says it includes Alaska-specific items he championed.
They include a ban on imposing civil liens against fishing permits to collect on debts. Young says the ban already exists in Alaska law but not in federal law.
He says it’s aimed at protecting the earning power of commercial fishing permit owners.
The House bill also includes the transfer of Coast Guard housing units in Tok, leftover after the closure of a Loran station. If the bill passes the Senate and becomes law, the property would pass to Tanana Chiefs Conference to operate its behavioral health clinic.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
