State Rep. Maxine Dibert right , a Fairbanks Democrat, confers with Rep. Republicans in the Alaska House tried Monday to change a resolution objecting to the renaming of Denali to Mount McKinley into a lengthy list of lavish praise for President Donald Trump, who issued the executive order making the change on his first day back in office a week ago, but failed as the Democratic-led bipartisan majority defeated the effort by a vote.
The resolution β the first floor vote on legislation by the House this session β subsequently passed by a vote with all of the opposition votes coming from Republicans. Department of Interior announced Friday the name change is now official and the U. Board on Geographic Names would begin making the change to federal documents and maps immediately.
If the federal government moves to change the name it is an affront to our state sovereignty. To officially change the name not only dishonors those who have fought to protect the name Denali, but also dismisses the voices of the Native communities whose roots are intertwined with those of the state.
Trump vowed during his first term in to change the name and followed through after he was reelected. An amendment to alter a resolution opposing the name change of Denali to Mount McKinley that adds a long list of praise for actions by President Donald Trump fails by a straight majority-minority caucus vote during the House floor session at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday.
The Alaska Survey Research poll between Jan. The vote on the amendment was along straight majority-minority caucus lines, with Republican minority caucus members Bill Elam of Nikiski and Will Stapp of Fairbanks excused from the session. While only a symbolic first vote, it could be an indicator later in the session who potential crossover votes may be if a three-fourths vote of the House is needed to pass the budget or a two-thirds vote for other matters such as veto overrides.
