Senator from Alaska introduces bill to restore Denali as the mountain’s federal name

Senator from Alaska announced on the Senate floor that he has introduced legislation to restore the federally recognized name of North America’s tallest mountain to "Denali," saying the name honors the mountain’s indigenous heritage and longstanding usage. "Denali is the great one," he said, adding that Alaskans have called the peak that name for generations.

He told colleagues the mountain is both majestic and treacherous and described a personal climb on Ruth Glacier that was cut short by sudden weather. The senator said early maps and local tradition recorded versions of the native name and that the mountain’s current federally used name dates to a 1917 decision, which he characterized as a renaming that disregarded indigenous usage. He said the Board on Geographic Names has received more than 20,000 letters and signatures calling for a restoration of the name, a figure he presented on the floor as part of the case for the legislation.

The senator said his introduction follows action by the Alaska Legislature, which passed resolutions urging Congress to move forward with restoring the name. He described the measure as an effort to "officially restore the federally recognized name of this quintessential Mountain as Denali" and noted he has introduced similar legislation in prior Congresses.

The senator used the mountain’s commonly cited height in remarks and emphasized its cultural importance. (The peak’s commonly accepted elevation is 20,310 feet.) The bill text and number were not specified during the remarks; the senator said only that he has "introduced legislation" and that the Alaska House and Senate have forwarded resolutions urging federal action.

The senator concluded the floor remarks by tying the naming effort to respect for indigenous history and by yielding the floor.