(JUNEAU) - Today the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee appointed Dan Sullivan as the new Legislative Liaison for the Denali Commission.

Sullivan's job will be to serve as a bridge between lawmakers and the Commission during the 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions. He will monitor the progress of federal legislation that helps solve the economic and infrastructure needs of communities in rural Alaska.

Congress created the Denali Commission in 1998 as a way to bring the state and federal government together to find long-term sustainable solutions to the challenges facing Alaska's rural villages. The LB & A Committee has maintained a liaison with the commission since 2000.

Sullivan is a member of the Anchorage Assembly, the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority board of directors and has a strong understanding of rural issues through his involvement in the Alaska Municipal League.

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