Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
Health care bill has ‘caribou kickback’ for Alaska
A new health care bill in the U.S. Senate has a special Alaska carve-out, worth more than $100 million a year, to attract Alaska's senators. But one critic says it's less than it appears. Listen now
Senators seethe at IHS blunders
Sen. Murkowski says the IHS is already failing Native communities in the Lower 48, and she wasn't the only outraged senator demanding answers at from the head of the agency. Listen now
Feds agree to shore up Alaska’s insurance market
The U.S. Health & Human Services Department has agreed to send federal money to the State of Alaska for reinsurance, which lowers costs for people who buy their own health insurance. Some see it as a model to prevent market "death spirals." Listen now
EPA takes step toward ending ‘pre-emptive veto’ of Pebble Mine
The EPA has announced its intention to reverse course on an action that would have thwarted the proposed Pebble mine in the Bristol Bay watershed. Listen now
What enviros won by losing the pipeline battle
With the pipeline turning 40, a look back at how Big Green fought Big Oil, how that fight transformed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and why Congress ever agreed to it.
Bucking Trump, Senate FAA bill leaves controllers in place
President Trump wants to privatize air traffic control across the country. But the U.S. Senate’s Commerce Committee passed an aviation bill last week that does not include it. Listen now
Young drives King Cove road through committee
A new bill to create a road for King Cove is advancing in the U.S. House. Like many before it, this bill would authorize a land trade to acquire an 11-mile corridor through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, in Southwest Alaska. Listen now
Sullivan asks to nix August recess
Congress is now on recess until July 9 in honor of Independence Day but some members are looking ahead and asking to cancel their August break. Listen now
Interior starts process for new offshore leasing plan
The Trump administration announced an initial step toward a new offshore leasing plan that could mean new drilling rights in federal waters of the Arctic. Listen now
Report: Senate health reform cuts $3.1b from Alaska’s Medicaid
Alaska would lose $3.1 billion in Medicaid funds if the U.S. Senate bill became law, according to a state-funded reporter. That's an even bigger cut than in the bill the House passed. Listen now
Cancer patient to senators: Dump this bill
U.S. Senate leaders postponed a vote on their health care reform bill, but Alaskans opposed to the bill aren't letting up. One Alaskan, a three-time cancer survivor, went to Washington to make his pitch directly. Listen now
CBO sees peril in Senate bill for uncrowded regions
The Congressional Budget Office has what amounts to a warning for "sparsely populated areas" in its analysis of the Senate's draft health care reform bill: The bill could drive out insurers. Listen now
Murkowski’s take on health bill? Stay tuned
Sen. Lisa Murkowski wouldn't say how she'll vote on the health care reform bill Senate leaders released Thursday, but it does things she has said she's against, like shrinking Medicaid expansion and defunding Planned Parenthood. Listen now
As swing vote on ACA repeal, Murkowski draws attention
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is the target of a new TV ad urging her to vote against Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Listen now
Sober day at Capitol; Alaska delegation not directly affected by shooting
As you've probably heard by now, five people were shot Tuesday morning in Virginia, where the Republican team was practicing for the annual congressional baseball game. Alaska Public Media News Director Lori Townsend spoke to Washington correspondent Liz Ruskin about the mood at the Capitol.
What’s the feds’ cannabis enforcement policy? ‘Confusing’
Whether the Trump administration will enforce the federal ban on marijuana in Alaska remains ambiguous. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein suggests DOJ may adopt tougher stance.
No hearing for Senate health bill and, says Murkowski, no sighting, either
Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she's not happy with the fast-track process the Senate Majority leader is using to bring a health care bill to the floor without any hearings.
Alaska’s Don Young applauds Puerto Rico statehood vote
Alaska Congressman Don Young went there with other U.S. lawmakers as an election observer. His spokesman Matt Shuckerow says Young favors self-determination for Puerto Rico and personally believes statehood is a good idea.
Coast Guard willing to give 2nd look at Aivik as icebreaker
The Coast Guard has apparently reconsidered its refusal to rent the Aivik, a ship belonging to Edison Chouest Offshore, to use as an icebreaker.
Kodiak to host Israeli missile test
Israel is improving its Arrow 3 missile to counter the threat of an Iranian launch. But Israel lives in a crowded neighborhood, so it wants to test the interceptor in Kodiak, MDA director says.