Senator Murkowski Advocates for Renaming Mount McKinley Back to Denali

Renaming Mount McKinley to Denali

• 🏔️ Senator Lisa Murkowski is advocating for the renaming of North America's tallest peak from Mount McKinley back to its traditional Koyukon Athabaskan name, Denali.
• 🗣️ Murkowski stated that Denali, meaning "the great one," is a more fitting name for the incredible peak, reflecting reverence held by Alaskans.
• 🏛️ The name was changed from Denali to Mount McKinley by President Trump via an executive order on his second day in office, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness."
• 📜 Alaskans have referred to the mountain as Denali for decades, and the Koyukon Athabaskan people have used the name for millennia.

Respecting Indigenous Stewardship and Legacy

• 🤝 Renaming the mountain back to Denali is seen as a way of respecting the original stewards of the land and their designation.
• 🚫 While acknowledging President McKinley's contributions, Murkowski noted he never visited Alaska, making the name change less personally relevant to the state.
• 🏛️ The McKinley legacy is not erased by this change, as numerous sites and tributes, including the McKinley National Memorial and various statues, continue to honor him.

Legislative Context and Support

• 📜 The bill to designate Denali as Denali (S. 573) is a bipartisan issue in Alaska.
• 📅 The state government first petitioned the federal government to align with its designation of Denali back in 1975, indicating a long-standing effort.
• 🤝 Murkowski encourages the administration to re-examine its position on the bill, despite current testimony.

Related Legislation and Inquiry

• 📜 Another bill, S. 353, aims to extend the authority for modifications to the Second Division Memorial in Washington D.C., which was delayed due to reasons including COVID-19.
• 💰 These modifications honor those who have given their lives in recent conflicts and come at zero cost to taxpayers.
• ❓ Murkowski inquired about the implementation of a secretarial order directing officials to work with Alaskan Native entities to adopt names for landmarks honoring Alaskan history and culture, seeking an update on this aspect.