Denali resolution urging Trump administration to keep name passes Alaska House [Video]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Alaska House passed a resolution Monday, 28-10, urging President Donald Trump and his administration to maintain Denali as the official name of North America’s tallest mountain.

“Denali is more than just a mountain, it represents Alaska’s history, culture, and its people,” Rep. Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks, who introduced HJR4, said. “Changing the name back to [Mt. McKinley] would be a disservice to all those who fought so hard to have the nation officially name the mountain Denali and to the Native communities who have called this land home for thousands of years.”

Dibert’s resolution details a nearly four-decade journey for the mountain to be officially recognized as Denali, calling it a testament to the perseverance and strength of Alaskans.

However, in a 21-17 vote Republican minority members failed to pass an amendmentadding language to the resolution recognizing President Trump’s role in issuing an executive order “Unleashing Alaska’s …