From the office of Congressman Don Young

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today regarding Alaska Governor Sean Parnell’s proposed plan for assessing oil and gas potential in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

“Opening ANWR for the benefit of Alaskans and Americans is long overdue, and I want to thank Governor Parnell for his continued leadership on this issue.  During my time in Congress, opening up ANWR for responsible development has been a long standing goal of mine, and still is,” said Rep. Young.  “Today’s announcement is yet another chance for the Obama Administration to commit to develop oil and gas on federal land.  I hope that Secretary Jewell takes this good faith effort by the State of Alaska into full consideration as the Department of Interior updates its ANWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan.  I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress, the Administration and all interested parties toward responsibly developing Alaska’s natural resources that have been locked up from responsible development for far too long.”

Congressman Young has successfully passed ANWR legislation out of the U.S. House of Representatives 12 times, as recently as 2012, but it failed to be taken up by the Democrat controlled Senate.

Contact:  Michael Anderson   Office: (202) 225-5765
Cell: (202) 412-8533

From the desk of Congressman Don Young

Requests Attorney General Holder Appoint Special Counsel to Investigate AP Monitoring 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the wake of yet another potential scandal from the Department of Justice, Alaskan Congressman Don Young has sent a letter with Congressman Trey Radel (R-FL), a former journalist, to Attorney General Eric Holder and Deputy Attorney General James Cole expressing grave concern for the possible First Amendment rights violations that occurred during their investigation of the Associated Press.

“Americans can agree national security leaks are harmful to this country, and can put the safety of our nation and national defense at risk, but the latest move by the Department of Justice conducted in the name of national security is beyond the pale,” Rep. Young said.  “Initial reports indicate that the Department of Justice threw all of their normal procedures and protocols out the window, and completely disregarded the First Amendment rights of the Associated Press journalists.  The country’s patience toward the Department of Justice is waning, especially after botched operations like Fast and Furious, and closer to home in Alaska, the prosecutorial misconduct of Department of Justice attorneys during the Senator Ted Stevens debacle.  Americans deserve answers to this latest incident, and it is my hope that in sending this letter, Congress can begin to get to the bottom of this utter disregard for an individual’s constitutional rights.”

Co-signed by 29 Representatives, the letter asks Attorney General Holder to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate potential First Amendment rights violations during the monitoring of 20 Associated Press phone lines without their knowledge.

Also enclosed in the letter, are four questions, which must be responded to in full:

1.      Who within the Justice Department approved, was aware of and supervised the monitoring of the Associated Press phone lines?

2.      If you are required to approve all subpoenas of records of news organizations, did you review the Justice Department’s subpoena of the Associated Press phone lines? If not, why?

3.      Has a monitoring of this scope and breadth occurred previously at the Justice Department, and if so, what news organizations or reporters were monitored and why?

4.      How will those responsible be held accountable for their actions?

The entire letter to Attorney General Holder and Deputy Attorney General Cole can be found here: http://donyoung.house.gov/UploadedFiles/APDOJLetter.pdf

Contact:  Michael Anderson   Office: (202) 225-5765
Cell: (202) 412-8533

From the desk of Congressman Don Young

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the disturbing news that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) inappropriately targeted certain political groups for further auditing and investigation, Alaskan Congressman Don Young today cosponsored H.R. 1950, the Taxpayer Nondiscrimination and Protection Act of 2013.

“The American people deserve to know that when the IRS reviews an individual or organization’s financial documents each year, they review the financial facts and not the individual or organization’s political beliefs,” Rep. Young said. “In order to protect Alaskans and Americans across the country from any future discrimination, I cosponsored H.R. 1950, which will hold IRS employees criminally responsible for their actions. For an agency with a likability as low as the collective leadership in Washington, it remains to be seen if the nation’s trust can be rebuilt, but the legislation I cosponsored today should be the first of many actions taken to remind the agency of who they serve; the American people and not just the political party of the inhabitant of the White House.”

H.R. 1950 would make it a crime for IRS employees to target political groups and would increase the maximum penalty for discrimination from termination of service to criminal punishment. The criminal punishment would allow the federal government to impose a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, which is the same maximum penalty for a member of the President’s cabinet who directs an employee to take similar actions (26 U.S.C. §7217). Lastly, the Taxpayer Nondiscrimination and Protection Act expressly states that political speech and political expression are rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

H.R. 1950, the Taxpayer Nondiscrimination and Protection Act of 2013 was introduced by Congressman Michael Turner (R-OH).

Contact: Michael Anderson
Office: (202) 225-5765
Cell: (202) 412-8533

From the Desk of Congressman Don Young

Natural Resources Public Lands Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Congressman Young’s Denali National Park Improvement Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation held a hearing on H.R. 586, the Denali National Park Improvement Act, introduced by Congressman Don Young earlier this year.  This legislative package would accomplish three purposes related to the Denali National Park and Preserve.  The bill would:

• Authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue permits for a microhydro project in the Kantishna Hills area within the Denali National Park and Preserve
• Allow a natural gas pipeline to be built within a small portion of the Denali National Park and Preserve
• Name the Talkeetna Ranger Station after Walter Harper, the first person to reach the summit of Mt. McKinley.

“H.R. 586 is win-win legislation that benefits the environment and all parties involved,” Rep. Young said.  “This bill combines elements of legislation that was passed last Congress by both the House and Senate, and I am hopeful that in the 113^th Congress we can clear the path for swift approval of this package that will help develop a much needed renewable energy within the park, allow for a natural gas right-of-way, and also honor Walter Harper, an Athabascan who was the first person to summit Mt. McKinley.”

Kantishna Micro-Hydro Project:

This legislation would allow the Doyon Native Corporation to build a micro-hydroelectric project inside Denali National Park and Preserve to power Kantishna Roadhouse, a backcountry lodge the Fairbanks based Native Corporation owns 100 miles inside the park.

The project would include a 50-kilowatt power plant, a small impoundment dam and a small pipeline to carry water. Also, it facilitates a small land exchange to clear a path for this project. This facility would displace a diesel generation currently used to power the roadhouse.

Natural Gas Pipeline:

H.R. 586 would authorize a right-of-way for possible construction of a natural gas pipeline to run along the seven mile portion of the Parks Highway that cuts through the Park.

Naming Talkeetna Ranger Station in Honor of Athabascan Climber:

Finally, H.R. 586 would name the Talkeetna Ranger station after Walter Harper, the first person to summit Mt. McKinley.  The Talkeetna Ranger Station is the home of Denali National Park’s mountaineering rangers, and is located roughly 100 miles south of the entrance to the park in the town of Talkeetna. Anybody who intends to attempt a climb of Mt. McKinley is required to first stop at the Talkeetna Ranger Station for their permit and mountain orientation.

Contact:  Michael Anderson
Office: (202) 225-5765
Cell: (202) 412-8533