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.
Fisheries: Why Young wants to change a beloved law
Rep. Don Young claims pride of authorship in the Magnuson Stevens Act, but he's penned a few revisions. The U.S. House just passed them. Critics say he shouldn't mess with a masterpiece. Listen now
Will Murkowski block Kavanaugh nomination? Here’s how she says she’ll decide
Sen. Murkowski isn't saying whether she'll vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Here's how she says she'll decide. Listen now
Fresh doubt for Alaska tribes seeking land-in-trust
A new solicitor's opinion throws doubt on whether Alaska tribes can gain "Indian Country"-type jurisdiction by putting land in trust with the feds. Listen now
Alaska CDQ group wants Congress to count heads
The largest of the Community Development Quota groups says it's getting a raw deal. Coastal Villages Region Fund says it has the largest population and deserves a larger share of the fish.
Why all eyes are on Murkowski in Supreme Court confirmation battle
This week, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced he's retiring. Now, the future direction of the U.S. Supreme Court could rest on the shoulders of Sen. Lisa Murkowski and her colleague from Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Listen now
Tara Sweeney confirmed as assistant Interior secretary for Indian Affairs
The U.S. Senate this evening confirmed Alaskan Tara MacLean Sweeney to be the assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs. Listen now
Trump says King Cove road ‘almost completed’
Trump said a controversial road through the Izembek Refuge will be finished soon. It hasn't begun. Murkowski made a pitch for bipartisanship. With cameras rolling, they spent two-and-a-half minutes politely talking past each other. Listen now
Power lunch: US senators transfixed by Bear Cam
Even U.S. senators got in on the joy of Katmai Bear Cam this week, and that's not the only Alaska delight the senators sampled from afar. Listen now
What they mean when they say ‘immigration problem’
Lawmakers paint different pictures of what the immigration problem actually is and who the victims are. That's true even within Alaska's all-Republican delegation to Congress. Listen now
Alaska delegation mulls Trump order keeping children detained with parents
President Trump signed an order Wednesday to address the family separations at the southern border, but it raises new questions for Congress. Listen now
Alaska senators veer apart on family separations
A gulf has opened between Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan on how to end family separations at the border. She signed a letter asking the attorney general to stop it immediately. Sullivan says it'll take a new law. Listen now
EPA, Corps agree to new wetland mitigation guidelines
Two federal agencies have beefed up their guidelines for wetlands mitigation in Alaska. The announcement comes after a news outlet found only 26 percent of Alaska permittees were required to mitigate wetland damage. Listen now
Murkowski zeroes in on Trump admin to stop splitting families at border
“The time is now for the White House to end the cruel, tragic separations of families," Murkowski said in a written statement. If the administration doesn't act quickly, she said, Congress must. Sen. Dan Sullivan called the situation complicated and called for a bipartisan solution from Congress. Listen now
Supreme Court agrees to hear Alaska Hovercraft case again
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to rehear the case of an Alaska moose hunter whose use of a hovercraft in the Nation River got him in trouble with the National Park Service. Listen now
Murkowski, Young respond to Chinese tariff on American seafood imports
Alaska’s economy could suffer as a result of China’s 25 percent tariff on American seafood imports and that worries U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. In a written statement, Murkowski urges President Donald Trump to reach a trade policy with China that protects the export market. Listen now
Murkowski concerned about Sessions border policy
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Thursday she's troubled by the Trump administration's practice of removing children from their parents when a family is caught crossing the border without authorization. Listen now
Bill would shift 3% of state’s ANWR revenue to Native corporations
A bill pending in the U.S. House would reduce Alaska's share of revenues from oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and give that money to Alaska Native corporations. Listen now
Interior announces “Readiness Project” for ANWR
The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday announced its first construction projects to prepare for oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The department says it will spend $4 million on six projects, most of them in Kaktovik. Listen now
Sweeney nomination wins committee approval
Alaskan Tara Sweeney's nomination to be assistant Interior secretary for Indian Affairs cleared a U.S. Senate Committee today with no opposition - though there may still be one hang-up. Listen now
Murkowski irked at tariffs, and Trump team
President Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs aren't good for Alaska, Sen. Murkowski said. She's frustrated with the on-again/off-again policy announcements, and with EPA Administrator Pruitt. Listen now