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FAIRBANKS - A move is under way to change the name of North America's tallest mountain from Mount McKinley to Denali.

Fairbanks Rep. Scott Kawasaki has filed a House resolution, that, if approved, would urge Congress to make the change. The 20,322-foot tall mountain was named for President William McKinley of Ohio, who never visited the territory, which later became Alaska.

Kawasaki said the people of Alaska should have the right to name their own monuments.

"Now is our opportunity to reassert our authority over our mountain ... the name Denali means something, culturally, to most Alaskans," he said.

Native Alaskans call the mountain Denali, which means The High One in Athabascan.

Kawasaki's bill includes a notation that restoring the original name may help "to rectify past injustices toward Alaska Native peoples."

Since 1975, Ohio Rep. Ralph Regula blocked legislation in Congress to rename the mountain. Regula's district includes McKinley's hometown. Regula retired this year.

Regula filed legislation yearly protecting the mountain's game. With a bill pending, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names was not allowed to make a name change.