In 31 minutes, Sen. Dan Sullivan\u2019s annual address to the Alaska Legislature contained no mentions of the Affordable Care Act, no references to immigration and only three references to the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I was trying to do was give an update on things that were focused on the economy,\u201d Sullivan later told reporters. \u201cIn that regard, I think there\u2019s a lot of good news.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alaska\u2019s junior U.S. Senator said the No. 1 question he\u2019s received from Alaskans across the state is what he\u2019s doing to address Alaska\u2019s deepening recession, which was triggered by slumping global oil and gas prices, then exacerbated by deep state budget cuts.<\/p>\n
In a speech <\/a>Wednesday<\/a>, Alaska\u2019s senior U.S. Senator, Republican Lisa Murkowski, told lawmakers and the public that there is \u201can undercurrent of anxiety running through much of Alaska right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Murkowski, who sits on the U.S. Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said some of that anxiousness was due to Congressional plans to abandon the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health insurance to a growing number of Alaskans.<\/p>\n She clarified some of her positions on contentious aspects of the ACA, which will be a prime subject in the HELP committee.<\/p>\n Sullivan, who doesn\u2019t serve on that committee, didn\u2019t address the issue until prompted by reporters.<\/p>\n He said he supports keeping portions of the law, including the provision protecting people who have pre-existing conditions, and one that allows young adults to stay on their parents\u2019 health insurance policies until age 26.<\/p>\n Asked whether he agrees with Murkowski\u2019s assessment of Alaskans\u2019 anxiousness, he said he does.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t disagree with that at all. There\u2019s a lot of anxiety. There\u2019s anxiety about jobs,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cWhat I try to do is focus on that issue.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside the Capitol, the anxiety of sign-waving protesters was focused on everything other than jobs. Some held signs declaiming President Trump\u2019s attacks on the media. Others called for Sullivan to engage with the public more often. Planned Parenthood supporters stood alongside those advocating action on a half-dozen other issues.<\/p>\n \u201cNo wall, town hall,\u201d they chanted at one point, mixing a pair of issues.<\/p>\n In response to questions about his availability to the public, Sullivan said, \u201cIf you look at my schedule, I hold what I would consider issue-specific public meetings frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n He referred to his recent appearance at an Alaska Board of Game meeting as one example.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re invited to a town hall simply for the purpose of being shouted down and shouted at, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s very constructive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Sullivan did address an issue of interest to Southeast Alaskans on Friday; he said he\u2019s continuing to work with Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott to find a way to ensure that Canadian mines along the border don\u2019t pollute cross-boundary rivers.<\/p>\n