Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
Murkowski, Sullivan split as immigration reform mires in Senate
The future of immigration reform was in doubt Thursday, after two proposals failed to win 60 votes in the U.S. Senate. Alaska's U.S. senators split their votes, on both measures. Listen now
Ouch! 5 ways Trump’s budget could pinch Alaska
President Trump's 2019 budget would cut a lot of line-items that benefit Alaska. Ultimately, it's up to Congress, but here are some of the ways the White House plan could sting. Listen now
Gold Star in the Chugach: Iraq vet honors survivors
A mountain on the edge of Anchorage has a new name, Gold Star Peak, thanks to Army vet Kirk Alkire. Talking to Gold Star families "means the world to me," he said. Listen now
Trump infrastructure plan has rural money, but can Alaska have some?
The White House has presented its long promised infrastructure plan. It’s getting mixed reviews from Alaska's U.S. senators. Listen now
Murkowski says Pruitt’s Pebble decision surprised her
Sen. Murkowski says the EPA administrator's move to keep alive proposed limits on the mine seemed out of character. Listen now
China seeks bigger role in Arctic
China issued its first national policy on the Arctic, and it reveals expansive ambitions in the far North. "China is stepping into the power vacuum of global leadership since the Trump administration came to power." Listen now
Two lawsuits challenge NPR-A lease sale
Environmental groups filed separate lawsuits Friday challenging the federal government’s December lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Listen now
Trump ‘really didn’t care’ about ANWR. Then a friend called.
President Trump says he didn't care much about opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling - until a friend told him other presidents had tried to and failed. Listen now
Enviros sue over King Cove road
That was fast. Conservation groups filed a lawsuit to thwart the King Cove land exchange Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced last week. The swap is intended to allow through part of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to Cold Bay. Listen now
Bad timing: Power outage hit Earthquake Center before 7.9 shaker
The tsunami warning that rattled Alaskans last week exposed weak spots in the disaster safety net. A fluke caused the Alaska Earthquake Center to go dark for an hour. Listen now
Tsunami warning: what’s important, and what’s crucial
The Trump administration has proposed significant cuts to the tsunami warning system. That includes all funding for 39 sophisticated data buoys. Tsunami experts worry about this but are even more concerned about proposed cuts to something a whole lot more basic. Listen now
Alaska’s US senators split on abortion vote
The U.S. Senate on Monday rejected a bill to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was one of only two Republicans to vote “no” on the procedural motion. Listen now
Delegation to Zinke: Thanks, but no thanks, for huge leasing plan
The congressional delegation has asked Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke to exclude all but three areas from his plan for oil and gas leasing off Alaska's shores. Listen now
Zinke signs land trade to allow road for King Cove
Alaska's congressional delegation ticked another item off its decades-old to-do list Monday: Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke signed a land swap agreement to allow a road in the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge for King Cove. Listen now
What’s open, what’s closed if the government shuts down
The government is set to cease operations at Friday at 8 p.m. Alaska time if Congress can't reach an agreement on spending. How will that affect you? Listen now
Alaska senators vote ‘no’ as Congress renews surveillance law
FISA allows the government to collect email and phone records of foreigners overseas without a warrant. Privacy advocates warn it sweeps up communications of Americans, too.
Listen now
Rep. Young wants earmarks back, and he’s not alone
Alaska Congressman Don Young says without earmarks, lawmakers can't effectively represent their constituents. "This to me is one of the crucial issues to this Congress, the next Congress and this House," Young told colleagues. And he defends the "bridge to nowhere." Listen now
Economist sees big role for US oil, LNG but finds hurdles in Arctic
The Trump administration says it wants to achieve "energy dominance." The director of the International Energy Agency says the U.S. is well on its way when it comes to petroleum, though he was lukewarm on the Arctic. Listen now
Knowles quits National Parks panel, says new administration won’t listen
Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles led a mass resignation this week from the advisory board of the National Park System. “The department showed no interest in ... continuing to use the forward-thinking agenda of science, the effect of climate change, protections of the ecosystems, education." Listen now
Murkowski, Sullivan contend with less-Republican Senate
Last year, it was all eyes on Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The fate of health care and tax bills seemed at times to turn on what she would do. But this year is shaping up differently in the Senate, and both Alaska senators will have to contend with new dynamics. Listen now