Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska Senate Bill SJR7 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	SJR007A -1- SJR 7
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5	5	34-LS0443\A
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11	11	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7
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13	13	IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
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15	15	THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
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17	17	BY SENATOR KAWASAKI
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19	19	Introduced: 1/24/24
20	20	Referred: State Affairs
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22	22
23	23	A RESOLUTION
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25	25	Urging the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of the Interior 1
26	26	to maintain Denali as the official name for the tallest mountain in North America. 2
27	27	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
28	28	WHEREAS Denali is the traditional Koyukon Athabaskan name for the tallest 4
29	29	mountain in North America; and 5
30	30	WHEREAS the name Denali is deeply ingrained in the state's culture and identity; 6
31	31	and 7
32	32	WHEREAS residents of the state believe that the names of the geographic features in 8
33	33	the state should be determined by state residents and representatives; and 9
34	34	WHEREAS the Athabaskan people and their ancestors have lived in the Interior of 10
35	35	the state for more than 10,000 years; and 11
36	36	WHEREAS Denali, the traditional Koyukon Athabascan name, meaning "the high 12
37	37	one," was designated as the official name for North America's tallest mountain in 1975 by the 13
38	38	state; and 14
39	39	WHEREAS state lawmakers petitioned the United States Board on Geographic 15
40	40	Names to change the mountain's name to "Denali" in 1975, and, in 2015, the United States 16 34-LS0443\A
41	41	SJR 7 -2- SJR007A
42	42	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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44	44	officially adopted the name Denali for the mountain; and 1
45	45	WHEREAS residents of the state from all backgrounds and political persuasions 2
46	46	embrace Denali as the rightful name for the tallest mountain in North America; and 3
47	47	WHEREAS residents of the state take pride in the fact that people outside the state 4
48	48	also recognize Denali as the mountain's well-established name; and 5
49	49	WHEREAS both Denali National Park and the mountain are well-known and 6
50	50	established landmarks, and changing the mountain's name could cause confusion and 7
51	51	negatively affect tourism in the state; and 8
52	52	WHEREAS there were once hundreds of languages spoken by Alaska Native peoples, 9
53	53	many of which are still used by their descendants today; and 10
54	54	WHEREAS the use of, and names and terms from, Athabaskan languages have a rich 11
55	55	legacy in the Interior and Canada; and 12
56	56	WHEREAS traditional Indigenous names for certain geographic features, places, and 13
57	57	communities are commonly used by local, state, and federal government agencies in the state; 14
58	58	and 15
59	59	WHEREAS residents of the state understand that the use of Indigenous names 16
60	60	throughout the state reflects the long history, diverse cultures, traditions, and languages of the 17
61	61	state's Alaska Native peoples; and 18
62	62	WHEREAS changing the name of the mountain from Denali to Mount McKinley 19
63	63	would be costly and disrespectful to residents of the state, especially Alaska Natives peoples; 20
64	64	and 21
65	65	WHEREAS President McKinley, after whom the mountain was previously named, 22
66	66	never visited the mountain and has no significant historical connection to the mountain or to 23
67	67	the state; 24
68	68	BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully urges the President 25
69	69	of the United States and the United States Secretary of the Interior to maintain Denali as the 26
70	70	name for the tallest mountain in North America and that action to rename the mountain not be 27
71	71	taken. 28
72	72	COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Tr
73	73	ump, President 29
74	74	of the United States; the Honorable J. D. Vance, Vice President of the United States and 30
75	75	President of the U.S. Senate; United States Secretary of the Interior; and the Honorable Lisa 31 34-LS0443\A
76	76	SJR007A -3- SJR 7
77	77	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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79	79	Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Nick Begich, 1
80	80	U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress. 2