Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s junior Republican Senator, visited Haines Monday to discuss problems the community may face and listen to constituents’ ideas and concerns.

Sullivan met with more than 20 veterans at the American Legion to talk about access to healthcare and land allotment.

He said the 2014 Choice Act, which should allow veterans to easily access medical services, has had a “rocky journey” in Alaskan rural communities. Sullivan said he supports creating a medical call center in Alaska to help ease the disconnect often caused by Alaska’s unique geography.

Sullivan also spoke about his support for the 2015 Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act that advocates for veterans’ mental health care.

Some Native veterans missed a deadline to apply for land allotments while serving in Vietnam in 1971. Sullivan sponsored a bill that would allow those Native veterans or their descendants to apply for federal land.

Sullivan serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee in the Senate and is a U.S. Marine Corps reservist. Because of his involvement with the military as well as Alaska’s high number of veterans per capita, Sullivan said he regularly meets with Alaskan veterans and advocates for veterans’ needs.

Sullivan visited Haines while on the campaign trail two years ago, but this was his first visit since his election in 2014. He is on the last leg of a month-long journey to visit communities throughout Alaska before the Senate is back in session this month.

Sullivan also met with about 30 people at the Harbor Bar to speak with constituents about his ongoing interests in the Senate.

Sullivan mentioned the relationship between mining and fisheries after one resident asked how the two interests can be balanced.

“Alaskans need to be much more actively involved in what’s going on,” Sullivan said regarding mines throughout Alaska.

Sullivan, who is a former Alaska Department of Natural Resources commissioner, said mines that don’t meet standards to protect the state’s fisheries won’t get permitted.

Liz Cornejo, geologist for Constantine Metal Resources, thanked Sullivan for writing a letter to the federal Bureau of Land Management professing support for Constantine’s road project at the Palmer exploration site. The BLM approved the project in August.

Sullivan said he’s putting a lot of his focus on opioid and heroin abuse in the state and asked if Haines is seeing this problem in youth.

“You can’t separate drug issues and economic issues,” Sullivan said.

One bar owner said drug use could negatively affect his business. Solving social problems will help boost the state and national economy, Sullivan said.

Port Chilkoot Distillery owner Heather Shade also thanked Sullivan for co-sponsoring the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2015 that restructured the federal excise tax on distilled spirits.

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