Murkowski, Sullivan lead resolution honoring Congressman Don Young

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan cosponsored a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Congressman Don Young, who served Alaska in the House of Representatives for the last 49 years. Congressman Young passed away on March 18, 2022. It. passed the U.S. Senate unanimously, March 28.

Resolution honoring the life and legacy of Rep. Don Young:

• Donald Edwin Young was born on June 9, 1933, to James Young and Nora (Bucy) Young in Meridian, California;

• Don Young earned an associate degree from Yuba Junior College and a bachelor’s degree in teaching from Chico State University;

• Don Young began what would be decades of service to the United States when he served in the Army as part of the 41st Tank Battalion from 1955 to 1957;

• Don Young moved to Alaska in 1959 and found his true home in the village of Fort Yukon, which is located 7 miles above the Arctic Circle;

• Don Young met and married the first love of his life, Lula “Lu” Young, in Fort Yukon;

• Don Young and Lu had 2 wonderful daughters, Dawn and Joni, and later 14 grandchildren;

• Don Young taught fifth grade at a school run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the winter and worked in construction, mining, fishing, and trapping, and as a tugboat captain in the warmer months;

• Don Young was elected mayor of Fort Yukon in 1964 and served in that role until 1967;

• Don Young was elected to and served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1967 to 1970 and the Alaska State Senate from 1970 to 1973;

• Don Young was elected to the House of Representatives in 1973 in a special election and served 24 additional and consecutive terms;

• Young served as Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007;

• Young was a champion for Alaska Native peoples, including as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives;

• Young fiercely defended Alaska and Alaskans as the sole Representative for the largest State in the United States and devoted himself to fulfilling the immense promise of his home State;

• Young was a leader in strengthening the role of Alaska in providing for the national defense of the United States through his support for the Coast Guard, the Alaskan Command, and the ballistic missile defense and his steadfast commitment to the leadership of the United States in the Arctic;

• Young sponsored at least 85 bills that were enacted into Federal law and sponsored and cosponsored many more measures that were part of broader legislation;

Whereas legislative achievements by Representative Young span the policy spectrum, from authorizing the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to important amendments and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.);

• Young authored and advocated for generational laws, including the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) in 1975, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Public Law 94-265;90 Stat. 331) in 1976, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–57; 111 Stat. 1252) in 1997, SAFETEA-LU (Public Law 109–59; 119 Stat. 1144) in 2005, Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-132; 121 Stat. 1360) in 2007, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 429) in 2021;

• Young formed strong relationships and friendships with members on both sides of the aisle and proudly worked with 10 different presidents;

• Young married his second love, Anne Garland Walton, in 2015, in the United States Capitol;

• On December 5, 2017, Representative Young became the 45th Dean of the House of Representatives, reflecting his status as its most senior member;

• Young was the longest-serving Republican in the history of Congress; and

• Young ultimately served the 49th State with dedication and distinction for 49 years and 13 days, which is more than 3/4 of the period in which Alaska has been a State.