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.
U.S. House lifts restrictions on predator hunting in Alaska refuges
On Thursday (Feb. 16) the U.S. House approved a bill to lift Obama administration restrictions on hunting and trapping of bears, wolves and other predators on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska. Listen now
Rep. Young joins motley cannabis caucus
Alaska Congressman Don Young says he’s never smoked marijuana. But Young says he wants to change federal law to help marijuana entrepreneurs do business. The issue has Young joining forces with congressmen of different stripes. Listen now
Predator reg debate veers from ‘puppy killing’ to ‘bull poop’
Republicans in the U.S. House, trying to roll back environmental rules of the Obama Administration, have turned to a rule that prohibits several methods of hunting predators in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges. Amid talk of “puppy killing,” Alaska Congressman Don Young argued it’s up to the state to manage wildlife populations. Listen now
Rep. Young named ‘chairman emeritus,’ loses power of the gavel
For most of the past 20 years, Alaska Congressman Don Young has been either a committee or subcommittee chairman. But now he wields no gavel. Listen now
Alaska senators ultimately split as DeVos becomes Education secretary
The U.S. Senate today (Feb. 7) voted to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education secretary. DeVos is the only one President Trump’s cabinet nominees so far to face serious trouble on the Senate floor. Senators were evenly divided, 50 to 50, and Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaker in favor of confirmation. Alaska’s two senators were split. Listen now
DeVos opponents press Sullivan
Parents and activists who don’t want to see Betsy DeVos confirmed as U.S. Education secretary are hitting the streets and the phone lines, around the country and in Alaska. Listen now
Senators stick by Trump, but how close?
WASHINGTON - Alaska’s U.S. senators helped President Trump fill out his cabinet this week, but in different degrees. With a new, colorful president in the White House, each of them has to decide how close to stand to the standard-bearer of their party. Listen now
Murkowski says she’ll vote ‘no’ on DeVos; Sullivan to vote ‘yes’
Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced Wednesday she will vote “no” on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be Education secretary, after intense pressure from her constituents. But Alaska’s two U.S. senators are split over DeVos. Listen now
Murkowski votes to advance DeVos, angering Alaska school advocates
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski Tuesday morning voted in the Education Committee to send President Trump's choice for education secretary to the full Senate for a vote. But Murkowski says she hasn't yet decided how she'll ultimately vote on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos. Listen now
Wrangell business owner held up at LAX due to Trump travel order
Wrangell fisherman and business owner Syliva Ettefagh said she, her husband and friends were returning from a vacation in Costa Rica this weekend when she got held up at Los Angeles International Airport. Ettefagh has been an American citizen since birth. She was born in Iran, to an American mom and an Iranian dad, before that country’s Islamic Revolution. Listen now
Alaska congressional delegation avoids criticizing refugee ban
Sen. Lisa Murkowski issued a statement on President Trump’s controversial refugee ban that avoids both endorsement and criticism. Meanwhile, Sen. Dan Sullivan supports the president's order, and Rep. Don Young's office put out a supportive statement. Listen now
Alaskans show the flag at Washington March for Life
It was another day of massive demonstration in Washington, D.C. today, this time for the annual March for Life. We caught up with a contingent from Eagle River, and a Catholic chaplain from Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. Listen now
Planned Parenthood applauds Sen. Murkowski for going against ‘global gag rule’
Planned Parenthood is praising U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski for signing onto a bill that would permanently repeal what’s known as the “global gag rule" or the "Mexico City Policy." Listen now
Murkowski praises Trump pipeline initiatives
On Jan. 24, President Donald Trump signed memos aimed at advancing two controversial pipelines and speeding environmental reviews of other energy projects. Listen now
Activism as endurance test: Alaskans march on DC
Hundreds of Alaskans flew across the country to participate in the massive Women’s March on Washington. Here's how one Juneau protestor coped with the pink-hatted hordes. Listen now
In throng on Capitol grounds, hundreds of Alaskans celebrate Trump
Hundreds of Alaskans are in Washington, D.C. today to celebrate Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. For some, Trump's election was the fulfillment of their grandest wishes. Others, not so much. Listen now
For US senators, it’s all in the question
U.S. senators take a variety of postures as they question cabinet nominees at confirmation hearings. Some interrogate. Some toss softballs. Many grandstand. Alaska’s two senators stuck to a few time-honored tactics as the engaged with nominees. Listen now
Young to have front-row seat as Trump takes oath
If you plan to watch Donald Trump get sworn in, look for Alaska Congressman Don Young on your screen. The Congressman said he’ll likely have a high-profile seat. Listen now
Interior pick firmly against fed land transfer, with wiggle room for Alaska
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Interior Department sat for a confirmation hearing today. Sen. Lisa Murkowski used the opportunity to condemn the Obama administration, which she says has treated Alaska like a park and tried to safeguard it from Alaskans. She pressed Rep. Ryan Zinke to review Obama's environmental decisions in Alaska. Listen now
‘What’s the plan?’ Senators say ACA replacement in the works
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump repeatedly promised to “repeal Obamacare and replace it with something great.” Early this morning the U.S. Senate took an initial step toward repeal. As for the replacement, Alaska’s two senators describe something still in the formative stages. Listen now