Don Young
Encyclopedia
Donald Edwin "Don" Young (born June 9, 1933) is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Republican Party
.
Young is the 6th most senior U.S. Representative and the 2nd most senior Republican Representative, as well as the 2nd most senior Republican in Congress as a whole. Upon the defeat of Senator Ted Stevens
, Young became the senior member of the Alaska congressional delegation.
in education from Yuba College
in 1952 and a bachelor's degree
from Chico State College
in 1958. He served in the Army
from 1955 to 1957.
Young moved to Alaska in 1959, not long after it became a state. He eventually settled in Fort Yukon
, a 700-person city on the Yukon River
, seven miles (11 km) above the Arctic Circle
in Alaska’s central interior region. He made a living in construction, fishing, trapping and gold mining. He captained a tugboat
and ran a barge operation to deliver products and supplies to villages along the Yukon River. He still holds his mariner's
license today. During the winter, he taught fifth grade at the local Bureau of Indian Affairs
elementary school.
and served two terms before being elected to the Alaska Senate
in 1970.
, disappeared in a plane crash on October 16, 1972. He was re-elected to the House that November, but was declared dead on December 29. Young, who had been the Republican candidate against Begich in November, ran in the special election in March 1973 and won with just 51% of the vote against Democrat Emil Notti. He won a full term in 1974 with just 54% of the vote. He credits his victory to his leadership of the fight for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System.
. In 1992, he defeated Devens again, this time with just 47%: the lowest winning percentage of his career and the only time he won without a majority vote. Young's largest winning percentage was in 2002 (75%), and the most votes he got was in 2004 (213,216).
In light of many of the controversies, incumbent Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell
announced he would run against Young in the August 26, 2008 Republican primary. Parnell was strongly supported by Gov. Sarah Palin
, the Club for Growth
, and many other organizations that opposed what they viewed to be corrupt behavior by Young. This was the first primary since he was first elected in which Young faced a strong challenge.
Young received the endorsement of Mike Huckabee
's political action committee, Huck PAC
, in June 2008. After a storm of negative reaction, Huckabee explained on the Huck PAC blog that the endorsement was due in part to Young's endorsement and steadfast support of Huckabee during the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.
Final results on September 18 showed Young winning by 304 votes (0.28%), and Parnell announced that he would not seek a recount. Prior to the announcement of the unofficial results, both candidates had said that they would request a recount if they lost. The state of Alaska pays the costs of recounts when the difference is within a half percent, as it was in this primary election.
General election
Young, plagued by questions about his ethics, faced a strong challenge from Democrat
Ethan Berkowitz
, the 46-year-old former minority leader in the Alaska House of Representatives
.
The initial results from the general election showed Young leading the race by a slim margin. He got just 50%of the vote compared to Berkowitz's 45% and 5% for Don Wright, the candidate of the Alaskan Independence Party
. Berkowitz himself conceded defeat on November 18, 2008, after counting of absentee and provisional ballots had mostly been completed and Young had a clearly insurmountable lead. Berkowitz received more votes in 2008 than any Democrat who had ever run against Young for Congress, and the 2008 race was the closest any Democrat had come to unseating Young since 1990, when John Devens of Valdez
received 48% of the vote.
and John R. Cox.He was challenged by Democratic nominee State Representative Harry Crawford
. Young defeated him with 69% of the vote.
Young is the seventh longest-serving House member, and the second most senior Republican (behind Rep. Bill Young
of Florida
). Due to his long tenure in the House and that of former Senator
Ted Stevens
, Alaska is considered to have clout in national politics far beyond its small population (it has long been one of the smallest states in population and is currently 47th, ahead of only North Dakota
, Vermont
, and Wyoming
). He is often called "Alaska's third senator." Young chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
from 2001 to 2007. He also chaired the Resources Committee from the 1995 Republican takeover of the House until 2001. However, since Young was stripped of his seniority shortly after the 2008 election due to his role in several controversies, he no longer holds the same influence.
Young's voting record is relatively moderate
by Republican standards. He has a lifetime rating of 77 from the American Conservative Union
. He most often crosses lines on issues affecting labor. He was one of a small number of Republicans to vote against the Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995, some free trade
agreements, and was one of only 13 Republican congressmen to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act
in 2007. His voting record is pro-life and pro-gun, but he was also among the Republicans to vote in favor of more federal funds for stem cell
research and voted against the re-authorization of the Patriot Act
. However, he is best known for his vigorous opposition to federal control of Alaska's land and resources. He is also a strong proponent of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to oil drilling.
On November 4, 1999, Young voted in favor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
, which some economists, including Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, believe helped create the 2007 financial crisis.
In the wake of September 11, 2001, Young sponsored the Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001, which created the Transportation Security Administration
.
In July 2007, fellow Republican Congressman Scott Garrett
of New Jersey
proposed an amendment to strike money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs. Young defended the funds on the floor of the House, stating that "You want my money, my money." Young also stated that "Those who bite me will be bitten back." Young went on to suggest that conservative Republicans such as Garrett lost the Republicans their majority in the 2006 election by challenging spending earmarks, and made several critical remarks about the state of New Jersey. While Garrett did not ask for an official reprimand, other conservative Republicans took exception to Young's remarks that the funds in question represented his money. Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee
gave Garrett a standing ovation later in the day during the group's weekly meeting and Virginia Foxx
of North Carolina compared Young's earmarks to "legal theft."
According to The New Republic
, Young is "well-known for his sharp elbows and generous appetite for legislative pork
." His reputation for steering federal dollars to Alaska is almost as legendary as that of Ted Stevens. For example, in the 2005 Highway Bill
, Young helped secure $941 million for 119 "special projects," including a $231 million bridge in Anchorage
that a rider in the bill named for Young himself.
He was listed as the third-worst congressman by the popular magazine Rolling Stone
, and dubbed "Mr. Pork" due to his involvement in the Gravina Island
"Bridge to Nowhere" incident. In the article, Young is quoted as saying that "Environmentalists are a self-centered bunch of waffle-stomping, Harvard-graduating, intellectual idiots" who "are not Americans, never have been Americans, never will be Americans." During a debate on native Alaskans right to sell sex organs of endangered animals for the purpose of aphrodisiacs, he pulled out an eighteen-inch penis bone
of a walrus and brandished it like a sword on the House floor.
Congressman Young has been included in the annual listing of the most corrupt members of Congress compiled by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
in 2007, 2008 and 2009 reports on Congressional corruption for abusing his position to benefit family and friends, and for steering millions of dollars in earmarks to corporations in exchange for contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee.
When John McCain
asked Young to give up money earmarked for Alaska to help the rebuilding effort from Hurricane Katrina
, Young replied that Katrina victims "can kiss my ear!"
Although Congressman Young is considered to be Pro-Life
and was quoted saying,
"… I have always voted for pro-life legislation as I believe an unborn child is a human being and should be protected through all stages of life," (1997)
his official positions on the subject do not make abortion illegal in every scenario. Young believes that abortion should be legal only when the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape, or in the case that a woman’s life is endangered by her pregnancy. He has addressed the issue of the time-period in which abortions should be legal, saying he does not think abortions should be limited to the first trimester of a pregnancy, and also disagrees with the idea of federal subsidies prohibiting abortions.
from Ketchikan to Gravina Island
, which also contains Ketchikan's airport. The bridge would be used for access by emergency vehicles, as well as passengers. Currently there is a small car and passenger ferry that travels the 1/4 mile (400 m) crossing in 3 to 7 minutes and runs every half hour. Critics assailed this as pork barrel
spending at taxpayers' expense and dubbed it the "Bridge to Nowhere." After criticism from citizens and others in Congress, lawmakers defunded the bridge and instead funneled the money to Alaska's Department of Transportation, allowing the Governor of Alaska to start road construction after the Alaska Legislature funded the project with the directed monies.
Another bridge earmarked in the bill connects Anchorage to Pt. Mackenzie
, a lightly populated area in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough that is situated less than four miles (6 km) across Cook Inlet
from downtown Anchorage. Currently, Anchorage is accessible from Point Mackenzie only by an 80 miles (128.7 km) route around Knik Arm, much of which is an unimproved road. It is currently unlikely that the bridge will be built; if it were, it would enhance the value of property in which Mr. Young's son-in-law owns an interest.
, although no wrongdoing has been alleged. In September 2002 Young and fellow Republican Steve LaTourette
of Ohio wrote to the General Services Administration
urging the agency to give preferential treatment to groups such as Indian tribes when evaluating development proposals. In particular, the letter referred to a historic building, the Old Post Office Pavilion
in downtown Washington, D.C.
. Some puzzled why a congressman from Alaska would earmark for a little road in Florida that the local community opposed. A June 2007 article in the New York Times reported that a local real estate developer, Daniel J. Aronoff, who owns 4,000 acres (16 km²) along the road helped raise $40,000 for Young shortly before the earmark was inserted. Young's spokeswoman Meredith Kenny initially said that the local Republican congressman, Connie Mack
, had requested the funding. In fact, both Mack and local Republican politicians opposed the funding.
In August 2007, the Naples Daily News reported that the words "Coconut Road interchange" were not in the federal transportation bill as it was approved by Congress. Instead, the words were added after the votes in the House and Senate, but before President Bush signed the bill. The original language for the $10 million earmark specified it was for widening of and improvements to Interstate 75. The language within the earmark was changed during a process called "bill enrollment", when technical corrections such as changes in punctuation are made to legislation before it is sent to the President.
In April 2008, top Senate Democrats and Republicans supported asking the Justice Department for a criminal investigation of the $10 million earmark. Young's staff acknowledged that aides "corrected" the earmark just before it went to the White House for President Bush's signature, specifying that the money would go to the proposed highway interchange project. Young said that the project was entirely worthy of an earmark and that he welcomed any inquiry, a spokeswoman said. Young's office said that presentations made by Florida Gulf Coast University
officials and the developers proved the case for the project.
A confession signed by Bill Allen, the former chief of VECO, was released in October 2009. Allen agreed that from 1993 to August 2006, both he and his deputy at VECO, Rick Smith, "provided things of value to United States Representative A," a reference to Young. For example, in June 2006, Smith obtained a set of golf clubs, costing approximately $1,000, that Smith gave to Young. Although Young was obligated in 2006 to report gifts with a value of more than $335, he didn't report receiving any gifts on the personal financial disclosure form he filed with the House of Representatives for that year.
, a historian who teaches at Rice University
in Texas, over the idea of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
. Reports say that during Brinkley’s testimony Young was not present in the room, yet still continued to respond to the speech Brinkley had made. Young not only referred to Brinkley’s argument as “garbage”, but also addressed Brinkley as “Dr. Rice.” When Dr. Brinkley tried to correct him, he was threatened with removal from the hearing. Young did shout at the Rice University history professor to demand “I’ll say anything I want to say! You just be quiet!”.
(As of 2009 to 2010 data, based on Young's positions and House of Representative Scores)
Congressional office. They had two daughters and were members of the Episcopal Church. Lula died on August 1, 2009 at the age of 67.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Young is the 6th most senior U.S. Representative and the 2nd most senior Republican Representative, as well as the 2nd most senior Republican in Congress as a whole. Upon the defeat of Senator Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
, Young became the senior member of the Alaska congressional delegation.
Early life, education, and pre-political career
Young was born in Meridian, Sutter County, California. He earned an associate's degreeAssociate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
in education from Yuba College
Yuba College
Yuba College is the main campus for the Yuba Community College District in Marysville, California, USA. It also has extension campuses in Woodland, California and Clearlake, California as well as offering some classes in Colusa, California and Beale AFB....
in 1952 and a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Chico State College
California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento...
in 1958. He served in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1955 to 1957.
Young moved to Alaska in 1959, not long after it became a state. He eventually settled in Fort Yukon
Fort Yukon, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 595 people, 225 households, and 137 families residing in the city. The population density was 85.0 people per square mile . There were 317 housing units at an average density of 45.3 per square mile...
, a 700-person city on the Yukon River
Yukon River
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The source of the river is located in British Columbia, Canada. The next portion lies in, and gives its name to Yukon Territory. The lower half of the river lies in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is long and empties into...
, seven miles (11 km) above the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
in Alaska’s central interior region. He made a living in construction, fishing, trapping and gold mining. He captained a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
and ran a barge operation to deliver products and supplies to villages along the Yukon River. He still holds his mariner's
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
license today. During the winter, he taught fifth grade at the local Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
elementary school.
Early political career
Young began his political career in 1964 when he was elected mayor of Fort Yukon. After only one term, he was elected to the Alaska House of RepresentativesAlaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
and served two terms before being elected to the Alaska Senate
Alaska Senate
The Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people . Senators serve four-year terms, without term...
in 1970.
Political positions
Young is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.1973-1974
Alaska's at-large congressman, Democrat Nick BegichNick Begich
Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Begich, Sr. was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from Alaska. He disappeared in a plane crash in Alaska in 1972. His son Mark Begich is currently the junior U.S...
, disappeared in a plane crash on October 16, 1972. He was re-elected to the House that November, but was declared dead on December 29. Young, who had been the Republican candidate against Begich in November, ran in the special election in March 1973 and won with just 51% of the vote against Democrat Emil Notti. He won a full term in 1974 with just 54% of the vote. He credits his victory to his leadership of the fight for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System.
1976-2006
He won re-election with at least 55% of vote all but three other times in his career (1990, 1992, and 2008). In 1982 and 1984, he defeated Nick Begich's wife, Pegge Begich, with 55% and 57% respectively. In 1990 he won re-election with just 52% against John Devens, the Mayor of ValdezValdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
. In 1992, he defeated Devens again, this time with just 47%: the lowest winning percentage of his career and the only time he won without a majority vote. Young's largest winning percentage was in 2002 (75%), and the most votes he got was in 2004 (213,216).
2008
Republican primaryIn light of many of the controversies, incumbent Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell
Sean Parnell
Sean R. Parnell is an American Republican politician who is the tenth and current Governor of Alaska. He succeeded Sarah Palin following her resignation, and was sworn in at the Governor's Picnic in Fairbanks on July 26, 2009...
announced he would run against Young in the August 26, 2008 Republican primary. Parnell was strongly supported by Gov. Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, the Club for Growth
Club for Growth
The Club for Growth is a politically conservative 527 organization active in the United States of America, with an agenda focussed on taxation and other economic issues, and with an affiliated political action committee . The Club advocates lower taxes, limited government, less government spending,...
, and many other organizations that opposed what they viewed to be corrupt behavior by Young. This was the first primary since he was first elected in which Young faced a strong challenge.
Young received the endorsement of Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
's political action committee, Huck PAC
Huck PAC
Huck PAC is the political action committee of former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee. It was founded in April 2008 by Huckabee, during the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries...
, in June 2008. After a storm of negative reaction, Huckabee explained on the Huck PAC blog that the endorsement was due in part to Young's endorsement and steadfast support of Huckabee during the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.
Final results on September 18 showed Young winning by 304 votes (0.28%), and Parnell announced that he would not seek a recount. Prior to the announcement of the unofficial results, both candidates had said that they would request a recount if they lost. The state of Alaska pays the costs of recounts when the difference is within a half percent, as it was in this primary election.
General election
Young, plagued by questions about his ethics, faced a strong challenge from Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ethan Berkowitz
Ethan Berkowitz
Ethan A. Berkowitz is an American politician who was the Alaska State Representative for District 26 from 1997 through 2006, serving as Democratic Party Minority Leader from 1999 to 2006.-Early life and education:...
, the 46-year-old former minority leader in the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
.
The initial results from the general election showed Young leading the race by a slim margin. He got just 50%of the vote compared to Berkowitz's 45% and 5% for Don Wright, the candidate of the Alaskan Independence Party
Alaskan Independence Party
The Alaskan Independence Party is a political party in the U.S. state of Alaska that advocates an in-state referendum which includes the option of Alaska becoming an independent country...
. Berkowitz himself conceded defeat on November 18, 2008, after counting of absentee and provisional ballots had mostly been completed and Young had a clearly insurmountable lead. Berkowitz received more votes in 2008 than any Democrat who had ever run against Young for Congress, and the 2008 race was the closest any Democrat had come to unseating Young since 1990, when John Devens of Valdez
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
received 48% of the vote.
2010
Young announced in 2009 that he will be seeking his 20th term. Young won the Republican primary with 70% of the vote against Sheldon FisherSheldon Fisher
Sheldon Fisher is a former Alaska Communications Systems Senior Vice President. He was also a unsuccessful candidate in the 2010 Republican primary election for the United States House of Representatives against Don Young. Fisher lives in Anchorage, Alaska and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and...
and John R. Cox.He was challenged by Democratic nominee State Representative Harry Crawford
Harry Crawford
Harry T. Crawford, Jr. is a Democratic politician in the U.S. state of Alaska. He served as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011. In 2000, on his second attempt for the seat, he defeated incumbent Ramona Barnes...
. Young defeated him with 69% of the vote.
Tenure
Bill Young
Charles William "Bill" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. He is a member of the Republican Party, and is currently the longest-serving Republican member of Congress...
of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
). Due to his long tenure in the House and that of former Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
, Alaska is considered to have clout in national politics far beyond its small population (it has long been one of the smallest states in population and is currently 47th, ahead of only North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
). He is often called "Alaska's third senator." Young chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
from 2001 to 2007. He also chaired the Resources Committee from the 1995 Republican takeover of the House until 2001. However, since Young was stripped of his seniority shortly after the 2008 election due to his role in several controversies, he no longer holds the same influence.
Young's voting record is relatively moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
by Republican standards. He has a lifetime rating of 77 from the American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
. He most often crosses lines on issues affecting labor. He was one of a small number of Republicans to vote against the Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995, some free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreements, and was one of only 13 Republican congressmen to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act
The Employee Free Choice Act was a legislative bill that was introduced into both chambers of the U.S. Congress on March 10, 2009. The bill's purpose was to,...
in 2007. His voting record is pro-life and pro-gun, but he was also among the Republicans to vote in favor of more federal funds for stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research and voted against the re-authorization of the Patriot Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
. However, he is best known for his vigorous opposition to federal control of Alaska's land and resources. He is also a strong proponent of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
to oil drilling.
On November 4, 1999, Young voted in favor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act , also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, is an act of the 106th United States Congress...
, which some economists, including Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, believe helped create the 2007 financial crisis.
In the wake of September 11, 2001, Young sponsored the Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001, which created the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
.
In July 2007, fellow Republican Congressman Scott Garrett
Scott Garrett
Ernest Scott Garrett is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of the northwestern portion of the state...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
proposed an amendment to strike money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs. Young defended the funds on the floor of the House, stating that "You want my money, my money." Young also stated that "Those who bite me will be bitten back." Young went on to suggest that conservative Republicans such as Garrett lost the Republicans their majority in the 2006 election by challenging spending earmarks, and made several critical remarks about the state of New Jersey. While Garrett did not ask for an official reprimand, other conservative Republicans took exception to Young's remarks that the funds in question represented his money. Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
gave Garrett a standing ovation later in the day during the group's weekly meeting and Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district takes in much of the northwestern portion of the state and a portion of Winston-Salem....
of North Carolina compared Young's earmarks to "legal theft."
According to The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, Young is "well-known for his sharp elbows and generous appetite for legislative pork
Pork barrel
Pork barrel is a derogatory term referring to appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district...
." His reputation for steering federal dollars to Alaska is almost as legendary as that of Ted Stevens. For example, in the 2005 Highway Bill
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users is a funding and authorization bill that governs United States federal surface transportation spending. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 10, 2005, and expired as of September 30, 2009...
, Young helped secure $941 million for 119 "special projects," including a $231 million bridge in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
that a rider in the bill named for Young himself.
He was listed as the third-worst congressman by the popular magazine Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, and dubbed "Mr. Pork" due to his involvement in the Gravina Island
Gravina Island Bridge
The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, with Gravina Island, an island which contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents. The bridge was...
"Bridge to Nowhere" incident. In the article, Young is quoted as saying that "Environmentalists are a self-centered bunch of waffle-stomping, Harvard-graduating, intellectual idiots" who "are not Americans, never have been Americans, never will be Americans." During a debate on native Alaskans right to sell sex organs of endangered animals for the purpose of aphrodisiacs, he pulled out an eighteen-inch penis bone
Baculum
The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, but present in other primates, such as the gorilla and chimpanzee.The bone aids in sexual intercourse.-Purpose:...
of a walrus and brandished it like a sword on the House floor.
Congressman Young has been included in the annual listing of the most corrupt members of Congress compiled by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
in 2007, 2008 and 2009 reports on Congressional corruption for abusing his position to benefit family and friends, and for steering millions of dollars in earmarks to corporations in exchange for contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee.
When John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
asked Young to give up money earmarked for Alaska to help the rebuilding effort from Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Young replied that Katrina victims "can kiss my ear!"
Although Congressman Young is considered to be Pro-Life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and was quoted saying,
"… I have always voted for pro-life legislation as I believe an unborn child is a human being and should be protected through all stages of life," (1997)
his official positions on the subject do not make abortion illegal in every scenario. Young believes that abortion should be legal only when the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape, or in the case that a woman’s life is endangered by her pregnancy. He has addressed the issue of the time-period in which abortions should be legal, saying he does not think abortions should be limited to the first trimester of a pregnancy, and also disagrees with the idea of federal subsidies prohibiting abortions.
"Bridge to Nowhere"
In 2005, Young and Stevens earmarked $223 million for building the enormous Gravina Island BridgeGravina Island Bridge
The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, with Gravina Island, an island which contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents. The bridge was...
from Ketchikan to Gravina Island
Gravina Island
Gravina Island is an island in the Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago in southeastern Alaska. It is long and about wide, with a land area of . The island had a population of 50 people at the 2000 census....
, which also contains Ketchikan's airport. The bridge would be used for access by emergency vehicles, as well as passengers. Currently there is a small car and passenger ferry that travels the 1/4 mile (400 m) crossing in 3 to 7 minutes and runs every half hour. Critics assailed this as pork barrel
Pork barrel
Pork barrel is a derogatory term referring to appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district...
spending at taxpayers' expense and dubbed it the "Bridge to Nowhere." After criticism from citizens and others in Congress, lawmakers defunded the bridge and instead funneled the money to Alaska's Department of Transportation, allowing the Governor of Alaska to start road construction after the Alaska Legislature funded the project with the directed monies.
Another bridge earmarked in the bill connects Anchorage to Pt. Mackenzie
Point MacKenzie, Alaska
Point MacKenzie is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 111...
, a lightly populated area in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough that is situated less than four miles (6 km) across Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage....
from downtown Anchorage. Currently, Anchorage is accessible from Point Mackenzie only by an 80 miles (128.7 km) route around Knik Arm, much of which is an unimproved road. It is currently unlikely that the bridge will be built; if it were, it would enhance the value of property in which Mr. Young's son-in-law owns an interest.
Abramoff scandal
Published reports have linked Young to the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandalJack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon...
, although no wrongdoing has been alleged. In September 2002 Young and fellow Republican Steve LaTourette
Steve LaTourette
Steven C. "Steve" LaTourette is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
of Ohio wrote to the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
urging the agency to give preferential treatment to groups such as Indian tribes when evaluating development proposals. In particular, the letter referred to a historic building, the Old Post Office Pavilion
Old Post Office Pavilion
The Old Post Office Pavilion, also known as Old Post Office and Clock Tower and officially renamed the Nancy Hanks Center in 1983, is a building of the United States federal government. Built in 1892-99, it is located at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue , NW, in Washington, D.C...
in downtown Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
BP Environment Controversy
In late 2010, Obama administration officials stated that the Deepwater Horizon blowout exceeded the Exxon Valdez spill, as they estimated that the gusher had spewed between 15 million USgals (56,781.2 m³) and 40 million USgals (151,416.5 m³) of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Around the same time, however, Young declared that the oil pumping into the Gulf was not an "environmental disaster", stating instead that it was a "natural phenomena" as "oil has seeped into this ocean for centuries, will continue to do it. During World War II there was over 10000000 barrels (1,589,872,950 l) of oil spilt from ships, and no natural catastrophe. We will lose some birds, we will lose some fixed sealife, but overall it will recover."Coconut Road
In 2006, Young added a $10 million earmark to a transportation bill for the construction of an interstate interchange for a short stretch of road (known as "Coconut Road") near Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. Some puzzled why a congressman from Alaska would earmark for a little road in Florida that the local community opposed. A June 2007 article in the New York Times reported that a local real estate developer, Daniel J. Aronoff, who owns 4,000 acres (16 km²) along the road helped raise $40,000 for Young shortly before the earmark was inserted. Young's spokeswoman Meredith Kenny initially said that the local Republican congressman, Connie Mack
Connie Mack IV
Cornelius Harvey McGillicuddy IV popularly known as Connie Mack IV is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes Fort Myers and Naples....
, had requested the funding. In fact, both Mack and local Republican politicians opposed the funding.
In August 2007, the Naples Daily News reported that the words "Coconut Road interchange" were not in the federal transportation bill as it was approved by Congress. Instead, the words were added after the votes in the House and Senate, but before President Bush signed the bill. The original language for the $10 million earmark specified it was for widening of and improvements to Interstate 75. The language within the earmark was changed during a process called "bill enrollment", when technical corrections such as changes in punctuation are made to legislation before it is sent to the President.
In April 2008, top Senate Democrats and Republicans supported asking the Justice Department for a criminal investigation of the $10 million earmark. Young's staff acknowledged that aides "corrected" the earmark just before it went to the White House for President Bush's signature, specifying that the money would go to the proposed highway interchange project. Young said that the project was entirely worthy of an earmark and that he welcomed any inquiry, a spokeswoman said. Young's office said that presentations made by Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
officials and the developers proved the case for the project.
Federal investigation
On July 24, 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported that Young was under federal investigation for possibly taking bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifts from VECO Corporation, an Anchorage-based company. The top two executives of that company had already pleaded guilty to bribing members of the Alaska legislature. The Journal said a VECO executive held fundraisers called "the Pig Roast" for Young every August for ten years. Between 1996 and 2006, Young received $157,000 from VECO employees and its political action committee. In the first half of 2007, Young spent more than $250,000 of his campaign contributions for legal fees.A confession signed by Bill Allen, the former chief of VECO, was released in October 2009. Allen agreed that from 1993 to August 2006, both he and his deputy at VECO, Rick Smith, "provided things of value to United States Representative A," a reference to Young. For example, in June 2006, Smith obtained a set of golf clubs, costing approximately $1,000, that Smith gave to Young. Although Young was obligated in 2006 to report gifts with a value of more than $335, he didn't report receiving any gifts on the personal financial disclosure form he filed with the House of Representatives for that year.
Congressional Hearing Argument
On November 18, 2011, Young got into an argument during a Congressional hearing with Douglas BrinkleyDouglas Brinkley
Douglas Brinkley is an American author, professor of history at Rice University and a fellow at the James Baker Institute for Public Policy. Brinkley is the history commentator for CBS News and a contributing editor to the magazine Vanity Fair...
, a historian who teaches at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Texas, over the idea of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
. Reports say that during Brinkley’s testimony Young was not present in the room, yet still continued to respond to the speech Brinkley had made. Young not only referred to Brinkley’s argument as “garbage”, but also addressed Brinkley as “Dr. Rice.” When Dr. Brinkley tried to correct him, he was threatened with removal from the hearing. Young did shout at the Rice University history professor to demand “I’ll say anything I want to say! You just be quiet!”.
Interest Group Ratings
| Interest Group | Score |
|---|---|
| Highest | |
| National Right to Life Committee | 100% |
| Sportsmen and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance | 100% |
| The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association | 100% |
| United States Chamber of Commerce | 100% |
| Campaign for Working Families | 100% |
| Christian Coalition of America | 100% |
| American Security Council Foundation | 100% |
| Federation for American Immigration Reform | 100% |
| Disabled American Veterans | 100% |
| Lowest | |
| NARAL Pro-Choice America | 0% |
| National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association | 0% |
| Human Rights Campaign | 0% |
| National Association of Social Workers | 0% |
| Women Employed | 0% |
| League of Conservative Voters | 0% |
| Peace Action | 0% |
| National Breast Cancer Association | 0% |
| Latin America Working Group | 0% |
| NewPolicy.org | 0% |
| Big Cat Rescue | 0% |
(As of 2009 to 2010 data, based on Young's positions and House of Representative Scores)
Committee assignments
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral ResourcesUnited States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral ResourcesThe United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:*...
- Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and WildlifeUnited States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and WildlifeThe United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee-Members, 112th Congress:- External links :*...
- Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public LandsUnited States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public LandsThe United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:*...
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TransportationUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TransportationThe Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over maritime safety, security, law enforcement, and defense. Additionally, the Subcommittee exercises jurisdiction over...
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentThe Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over water conservation, pollution control, infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup, the civil works programs of the U.S. Army...
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
Caucus Memberships
- Arthritis Caucus
- Congressional Caucus on Unmanned Systems
- House Biomedical Research Caucus
- House Diabetes Caucus
- International Conservation CaucusUnited States Congressional International Conservation CaucusThe U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus is a bipartisan congressional organization that was founded in September 2003 with the conviction that “the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advance the conservation of natural resources for...
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
Electoral history
| Year | Republican | Votes | Pct | Democratic | Votes | Pct | Third Party | Votes | Pct | Third Party | Votes | Pct | Third Party | Votes | Pct | Write-in votes | Write-in % | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 41,750 | 43.76% | 53,651 | 56.24% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1973 | 35,044 | 51.41% | 33,123 | 48.39% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974 | 51,641 | 53.84% | 44,280 | 46.16% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976 | 83,722 | 71.00% | 34,194 | 29.00% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978 | 68,811 | 55.41% | 55,176 | 44.43% | 200 | 0.16% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 114,089 | 73.79% | 39,922 | 25.82% | 607 | 0.39% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1982 | 128,274 | 70.84% | 52,011 | 28.72% | 799 | 0.44% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1984 | 113,582 | 55.02% | 86,052 | 41.68% | 6,508 | 3.15% | 295 | 0.14% | |||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | 101,799 | 56.47% | 74,053 | 41.08% | 4,182 | 2.32% | 243 | 0.14% | |||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | 120,595 | 62.50% | 71,881 | 37.25% | 479 | 0.25% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | 99,003 | 51.66% | 91,677 | 47.84% | 967 | 0.51% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | 111,849 | 46.78% | 102,378 | 42.82% | (AKI Alaskan Independence Party The Alaskan Independence Party is a political party in the U.S. state of Alaska that advocates an in-state referendum which includes the option of Alaska becoming an independent country... ) |
15,049 | 6.29% | (G Green Party (United States) The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties... ) |
9,529 | 3.99% | 311 | 0.13% | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | 118,537 | 56.92% | 68,172 | 32.74% | (G) | 21,277 | 10.22% | 254 | 0.12% | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | 138,834 | 59.41% | 85,114 | 36.42% | (AKI) | 5,017 | 2.15% | (G) | 4,513 | 1.93% | 222 | 0.10% | |||||||||||||
| 1998 | 139,676 | 62.55% | 77,232 | 34.59% | (G) | 5,923 | 2.65% | 469 | 0.21% | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | 190,862 | 69.56% | 45,372 | 16.54% | (G) | 22,440 | 8.18% | (AKI) | 10,085 | 3.68% | 4,802 | 1.75% | 832 | 0.30% | |||||||||||
| 2002 | 169,685 | 74.66% | 39,357 | 17.32% | (G) | 14,435 | 6.35% | 3,797 | 1.67% | 291 | 0.00% | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 | 213,216 | 71.34% | 67,074 | 22.44% | (G) | 11,434 | 3.83% | 7,157 | 2.40% | 1,115 | |||||||||||||||
| 2006 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2006 The Alaska Congressional election of 2006 was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The term of the state's sole Representative to the United States House of Representatives expired on January 3, 2007. The winning candidate would serve a two-year term from January 3, 2007, to January 3, 2009. The... |
132,743 | 56.57% | 93,879 | 40.01% | 4,029 | 1.72% | (G) | 1,819 | 0.78% | (I) | 1,615 | 0.69% | 560 | 0.24% | |||||||||||
| 2008 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2008 The 2008 congressional election in Alaska was held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state of Alaska in the United States House of Representatives. Alaska has one seat in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census... |
158,939 | 50.14% | 142,560 | 44.98% | 14,274 | 4.50% | 1,205 | 0.38% | |||||||||||||||||
| 2010 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2010 The 2010 congressional election in Alaska was held on November 2, 2010 to determine who will represent the state of Alaska in the United States House of Representatives. Alaska has one seat in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census.... |
175,384 | 68.87% | 77,606 | 30.64% | 1,345 | 0.49% |
Personal life
Young was married to the former Lula Fredson, an indigenous Gwich'in. She volunteered her time serving as the manager of her husband's Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Congressional office. They had two daughters and were members of the Episcopal Church. Lula died on August 1, 2009 at the age of 67.
Further reading
- Don Young caught lying about debate over emissions bill Alaska Report, May 20, 2006
- Don Young Gives Self Fictitious "Hero of the Taxpayer" Award from Watchdog Group July 25, 2008
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SujyplgQaQM& Nov 18, 2011, House Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Don Young's response to testimony from Dr. Douglas Brinkley regarding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- U.S. Congressman Don Young official U.S. House site
- Alaskans for Don Young official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Quotations at BrainyQuote