Don Young

Don Young
Official portrait, c. 1990s
45th Dean of the United States House of Representatives
In office December 5, 2017 – March 18, 2022
Preceded by	John Conyers
Succeeded by	Hal Rogers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alaska's at-large district
In office March 6, 1973 – March 18, 2022
Preceded by	Nick Begich
Succeeded by	Mary Peltola
Committee chairmanships Chair of the House Transportation Committee In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007 Preceded by Bud Shuster Succeeded by Jim Oberstar Chair of the House Resources Committee In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 Preceded by George Miller Succeeded by James V. Hansen
Member of the Alaska Senate from the I district
In office January 11, 1971 – March 6, 1973
Preceded by	Paul Haggland
Succeeded by	George Silides
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 16th district
In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Multi-member district
Personal details
Born	Donald Edwin Young (1933-06-09)June 9, 1933 Meridian, California, U.S.
Died	March 18, 2022(2022-03-18) (aged 88) SeaTac, Washington, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Lu Fredson ​ ​ (m. 1963; died 2009)​ Anne Garland Walton ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	2
Education	Yuba College California State University, Chico (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1955–1957
Unit	41st Tank Battalion
Don Young's voice Young, as chair of the House Transportation Committee, speaks in support of SAFETEA-LU Recorded March 9, 2005

Donald Edwin Young (June 9, 1933 – March 18, 2022) was an American politician in Alaska. He was the longest-serving Republican in House history, having been the U.S. representative for Alaska's at-large congressional district for 49 years, from 1973 until his death in 2022.

Born and raised in California, Young moved to Alaska in 1959 after a stint in the U.S. Army. He worked various careers, including sailing and teaching, in the small city of Fort Yukon, where he was elected mayor in 1964. He entered state politics two years later, when he won a seat in the Alaska House of Representatives, and advanced to the Alaska Senate in 1970. In 1972, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives against incumbent Democrat Nick Begich. Weeks before the election, Begich disappeared and was presumed dead in a plane crash, though he still (likely posthumously) won the vote. Young ran in a special election to fill the vacant post the following year, defeating Democrat Emil Notti. He was re-elected to the seat 24 times.

In Congress, Young chaired the House Resources Committee from 1995 to 2001 and the House Transportation Committee from 2001 to 2007. The Associated Press said that he was known for his "brusque" and "off-color" demeanor, and The New York Times described him as having "cultivated the image of a rugged frontiersman"; his prominent personality, long tenure, and position as his state's sole House member led to him occasionally being dubbed "Alaska's third senator".^[1][2]

Young became the 45th dean of the United States House of Representatives in December 2017, after John Conyers resigned. He was the first Republican in that office in over 84 years since Gilbert N. Haugen left office after being defeated for re-election in 1932.