Congressional Republicans released a final draft of their tax bill Friday. With newfound support from two wavering senators, lawmakers appear to be on track to pass the measure and deliver it to President Trump for his signature by Christmas.
Federal Government
ACLU sounds alarm on non-criminal immigrant detentions in Anchorage
The Alaska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is raising the alarm about what it characterizes as a raid by federal immigration authorities in Anchorage this week. According to the ACLU, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested at least five people in Anchorage on Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Murkowski unsure Congress can investigate Trump on groping charges
“The role that we play in Congress for an investigation – that’s one of the things that I’ve been trying to figure out: Is there a congressional role?” Murkowski said.
ACA health insurance applications due Friday
Friday is the deadline to apply for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Premiums are down this year and that’s in part due to the Alaska Reinsurance Program.
Protests fail to slow tax bill, or Arctic drilling
Republicans in Congress say they’ve reached a final agreement on their tax bill, and it appears to include a prize the Alaska delegation has sought for years: opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
Trump signs defense bill to allow more missile interceptors in Alaska
President Donald Trump signed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act into law Tuesday.
Scientists warn Arctic “refrigerator” is failing, with global consequences
Still melting – and melting fast. That’s the basic take-away from the federal government’s annual Arctic Report Card. It finds that Arctic ocean temperatures are increasing and sea ice is declining at the fastest rate in at least 1500 years.
Warning from left: Deficit could eat Alaska’s Arctic Refuge money
The U.S. Senate tax bill would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil lease sales and split revenues with the state 50-50. Some Alaskans insist the state should get 90 percent, as promised in the statehood act. But if the tax bill passes, some opponents warn the state’s actual revenues from ANWR, no matter how much the oil companies bid, could be zero.
President Trump is sending NASA back to the moon
“Space Policy Directive 1,” which Trump signed Monday, sees Mars as the ultimate destination. But analysts wonder whether money will follow to support the plan.
Suspect in Manhattan subway blast was wearing ‘low-tech’ device
“This was an attempted terrorist attack,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a news conference near the site of the blast. The male suspect was among four people who were injured.