(JUNEAU) - Members of the Alaska House of Representatives sent their thoughts and prayers to one of its absent members on Wednesday. Representative Reggie Joule (D-Kotzebue), 50, suffered a heart attack early Wednesday morning and was medically evacuated to Providence Hospital in Anchorage. All House members stood hand in hand for a moment of silence on the House floor for the fourth-term Representative Joule. House Speaker Pete Kott (R-Eagle River) and Majority Leader John Coghill (R-North Pole) expressed their concerns on behalf of the entire House Majority.

"Rep. Joule is a fixture in the Legislature," Kott said. "He offers a clear and important perspective, especially on the needs of Bush Alaska. The House looks forward to his quick return to the Floor."

"He is a consistent voice in the House," Coghill said. "Rep. Joule speaks with thought and gravity and his absence will be impossible to ignore."

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