Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
UPDATE: Trump rescinds Obama’s ‘permanent’ Arctic leasing ban
President Trump is expected to sign an order Friday aimed at lifting his predecessor’s ban on new oil leasing in waters off Alaska’s Arctic coast. Listen now
All smiles for Rep. Young in Eagle River
In other states, Republican Congress members are dogged by anti-Trump protestors. But Alaska Congressman Don Young found a friendly crowd Wednesday in Eagle River. It was his only public event scheduled in the Anchorage area this recess.
They’re holding a town hall, with or without delegation
Alaskans alarmed by the Trump White House are pressuring the state’s congressional delegation for a town hall meeting in Anchorage this week. They've organized one, but none of the three lawmakers has agreed to come. Listen now
49 Voices: Cherry Blossom Princess Caitlin Sweeney
This week on 49 Voices we're going to Washington D.C. Caitlin Sweeney was there last week to be Alaska's "princess" in the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Listen now
Rep. Young wants feds to lay off medical marijuana prosecution
Congressman Don Young and 42 colleagues are asking that Congress block the Justice Department from pursuing federal drug cases against people who are complying with their state’s medical marijuana laws. Listen now
State TB rate dips but remains among the highest
The state Health Department says 57 cases of tuberculosis were reported in Alaska in 2016. That’s a moderate decrease from the prior year, but Alaska's rate remains more than double the national average. Listen now
Cuts to 4-25 reversed, but 1,500 to deploy to Afghanistan
It's official: The Army has decided to keep the 4-25th brigade combat team intact at Joint Base Elmendof-Richardson in Anchorage. Listen now
Sullivan: Syria strike offers chance to restore U.S. credibility
President Trump’s decision to launch missiles on Syria Thursday night drew a range of reactions on Capitol Hill. But Alaska’s all-Republican delegation to Congress gave it three thumbs up. Listen now
Report: Trump to re-open Arctic waters to oil leasing
President Trump may soon issue an executive order intended to lift restrictions on oil development in Arctic waters. That's according to a Bloomberg news story. Listen now
Essential Air Service has friends in US Senate
Alaska is a big beneficiary of the Essential Air Service program, but Alaska’s congressional delegation isn’t the only one urging that the federal subsidy continue. Listen now
Young pulls punches for this road foe
Rep. Don Young is known to berate Democrats and environmentalists who oppose his efforts to get a road for King Cove. Young accuses them of being indifferent to the lives of his constituents, the Alaska Natives who reside in a remote, isolated community. But at a hearing Wednesday, the witness who spoke against the road was also an Alaska Native from a remote, isolated community. And this wasn’t just about the road. Listen now
Predator hunting limits repealed for refuges
President Donald Trump on Monday signed a measure repealing federal limits on predator hunting on Alaska’s national wildlife refuges. Listen now
Schlepping bronze, a Ketchikan artist retraces Seward’s route
A Ketchikan artist went on a mission in Washington, D.C.: to find the spot where William Seward signed the treaty to buy Alaska from Russia. He was searching for a thread of history and he didn't come empty-handed. Listen now
Searching for signs of Seward in DC
Exactly 150 years ago, on March 30, 1867, the United States signed a treaty to buy Alaska from Russia. The treaty changed the course of Alaska history, but did it leave any mark on the city where it was signed? Listen now
Young gives Trump a hand at bill signing
U.S. Rep. Don Young was at the White House to see President Trump sign a bill that repeals an Obama administration rule known as “BLM Planning 2.0.” Young's an old hand at White House visits but this was his first time with Trump in office. Listen now
ACA repeal bill is dead; Rep. Young likes it that way
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the plug on their bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Ryan declared it a disappointing day for Republicans. But Alaska’s Republican congressman says he’s celebrating the bill’s defeat. Listen now
From left and right, Young finds fault with ACA replacement bill
To repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, U.S. House leaders are straining to overcome dissension in the Republican ranks. As many as two dozen conservatives oppose the bill on grounds that it doesn’t repeal enough of the ACA. A smaller number of Republican moderates say it doesn’t replace enough. Alaska Congressman Don Young is a little in both camps. Listen now
Senate lifts ban on predator killing in Alaska refuges
The U.S. Senate today voted to overturn an Obama Administration rule that banned certain methods of killing predators on national wildlife refuges in Alaska. The repeal resolution now goes to the White House for signature. Listen now
Murkowski at odds with Trump’s call to end NEA funding
President Trump’s budget calls for ending funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA has been a frequent target of Republicans, but U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski supports the endowment, and Tuesday she won an award for it. Listen now
Don’t panic over Trump’s budget, Murkowski says
President Trump’s first budget shows zeroes for several programs important to Alaska. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says there's a lot for an Alaskan to be upset about in this document, but she says Congress isn't going to adopt it. Listen now