| Don Young Day | |
|---|---|
 Don Young in 2020 | |
| Observed by | Alaska |
| Date | June 9 |
| Frequency | Annual |
Don Young Day is a day of recognition in the state ofAlaska, observed annually on June 9, commemoratingDon Young, who served as a member ofAlaska's at-large congressional district in theU.S. House of Representatives from March 6, 1973, until his death on March 18, 2022, at the age of 88, making him the longest-servingRepublican member of Congress in U.S. history.
Don Young was first elected to Congress in a1973 special election to fill the seat of RepresentativeNick Begich, who had been presumed dead following his disappearance in a 1972 plane crash. Young would go on to be re-elected to 24 full terms, becoming theDean of the House in December 2017.[1] He died in office on March 18, 2022, while flying fromLos Angeles toSeattle on his way back to Alaska.[2]
Younglay in state in the U.S. Capitol'sNational Statuary Hall on March 29, 2022, before his memorial service. He was the 43rd person to have this honor since 1852.
On March 18, 2023, the one year anniversary of Young's death,Alaska GovernorMike Dunleavy issued a proclamation declaring that day to be Don Young Day, encouraging "all Alaskans to celebrate and honor the contributions of Congressman Don Young through his lifetime of service to the State of Alaska and to the United States of America."[3] On March 27,State RepresentativeCraig Johnson introduced House Bill 141, to commemorate Don Young Day each year on June 9, Young's birthday. The bill passed the House andSenate, respectively, on April 20 and May 16, and was signed into law by Governor Dunleavy on August 26.[1][4] Rather than create a new public holiday, the bill establishes Don Young Day to "be observed by suitable observances and exercises by civil groups and the public."[4]
| Session | Short description | Synopsis as introduced | Bill number | Date introduced | Senate | Assembly | Governor | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33rd | Don Young Day | An Act establishing June 9 of each year as Don Young Day. | HB 0141 | March 27, 2023 | Passed theHouse 35–2 | Passed theSenate 20–0 | Signed into Law by the Governor on August 26, 2023 | RepresentativeCraig Johnson |