Nicholas Begich

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6021, the Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Clarification Act, addresses a narrow but consequential gap in Federal law that has criminalized longstanding Alaska Native artistic and cultural traditions for more than a century. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act implements four separate international agreements with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. These treaties, however, do not always line up with each other. The treaties with Japan and Russia recognize the subsistence needs of indigenous peoples. The earlier treaties with Canada and Mexico did not provide the same protections. These gaps have had real consequences for Alaska Natives. Because the courts have required the Fish and Wildlife Service to apply the most restrictive of the four treaties across the board--in this case, our treaty with Japan--an Alaska Native artist who sells a traditional handicraft containing a raven feather or woodpecker feather can face up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. That is not conservation. That is not what these treaties were meant to do. It is not something the Alaska Native community should have to live with. Archie Cavanaugh was a Tlingit artist from Juneau. In 2012, he was prosecuted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for selling a headdress and a hat containing feathers consistent with cultural practices going back generations. His case became a symbol of how badly the current framework fits Alaska. This bill clarifies that the sale and shipment of authentic Alaska Native handicrafts containing nonedible migratory bird parts is not a Federal crime, provided the parts were not taken in a wasteful or illegal manner. It contains species protection safeguards. It respects the existing co-management structure within the Alaska Migratory Bird Co- Management Council. The bill directs the Department of State and the Department of the Interior to work with our treaty partner to update the international framework so that Federal regulation and treaty text finally line up. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to support this bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act. This bill extends the streamlined, coordinated permitting process under FAST-41 to all mining and mineral processing projects and blocks a Biden-era proposal that would have narrowed eligibility and deepened our dependence on foreign adversaries for the minerals America needs. Mr. Speaker, no State has more riding on this than Alaska. We are the fourth-largest mineral producer in the Nation, sitting on world-class deposits of rare earths, antimony, zinc, cobalt, and more. Yet, with over 60 percent of our State under Federal management, permitting timelines often extend for decades. That kind of paralysis does not help Alaskans, and it doesn't help the rest of America. It only helps our adversaries. While Washington dithers and delays valuable projects, China floods markets, corners processing capability, and wields mineral exports as leverage against American industry and military readiness. Alaska has the resources to help end our dependence on China for critical mineral production and processing. H.R. 1501 doesn't ask agencies to skip environmental review. It asks them to run it once on a predictable timeline rather than dragging responsible projects through duplicative reviews and years of shifting requirements. Alaska has shown time and again that resource development and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Our Nation has the capability. What we have lacked is a Federal process that lets projects get built. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill. It strengthens our mineral supply chains, supports good-paying jobs in Alaska and across the country, and advances American resource independence. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act. This bill is fundamentally about getting the science right. It gives the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, or NOAA, the State of Maine, and the lobster industry until 2035 to incorporate the most current, complete data available before implementing sweeping new gear, closure, and speed restrictions under the MMPA, restrictions that, based on outdated information, could devastate a $2 billion industry and 17,500 jobs. Mr. Speaker, Alaska knows the cost of regulating with stale data. As the State with America's largest and most valuable commercial fishing industry, we have seen Federal agencies default to rigid one-size-fits- all mandates instead of investing in the modern surveys, monitoring, and technology needed to actually understand what is happening on the water. That approach does not serve the resource and it doesn't serve the people who depend on it, whether they are lobstermen in Maine or fishermen in Alaska Native communities back home. Good regulation has to keep pace with good science. H.R. 9436 does not weaken the MMPA or abandon right whale conservation. It gives regulators the runway to use better science and better tools to protect both the whales and the fishery. This committee endorsed that approach on a bipartisan 22-13 vote, and the Trump administration has backed it, as well. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 254, the Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act, the ARTIST Act. For generations, Alaska Native artisans along our north Pacific and Arctic coasts have carved walrus ivory into works of extraordinary beauty, a tradition handed down through families, woven into the culture life of entire communities, and for many, a vital source of income. In recent years, well-meaning efforts to crack down on the illegal elephant ivory trade have swept up something they were never meant to touch: the legal, sustainable, lawfully harvested ivory at the heart of Alaska Native art. Buyers grew confused. Some States moved to ban these handicrafts outright. Alaska Native carvers, who have done nothing wrong, watched their livelihoods and their heritage put at risk. The ARTIST Act fixes that. It makes it clear that authentic Alaska Native handicrafts may be bought and sold across this country. It stops States from outlawing a responsible tradition that predates them by centuries. This is about cultural durability and the right of Alaska Native families to practice their traditions and provide for their communities. Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Dan S. Sullivan for his leadership in carrying this bill through the Senate. With House action, the ARTIST Act will be one step away from restoring the rights of Alaska Native craftsmen. Mr. Speaker, I urge my college to support S. 254.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 41, the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act. This bill rights a wrong that has endured for more than 50 years. When Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971, it made a promise to Alaska Native people: land and the right to form their own corporations to manage that land and build their futures. However, five southeast Alaska communities, Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, were left out. Through no fault of their own, the Native people of these communities were given a name no Native community should ever have to carry: the Landless. For half a century, the people of these five communities have come to Washington, made their case, and waited patiently and persistently for this body to keep its word. They have done everything that was ever asked of them. My predecessors have introduced this bill ten times in this body, and in all those years, this House has yet to pass this bill. Today, we change that. H.R. 41 finally allows these communities to do what every other Alaska Native community was able to do decades ago: organize their corporations, receive their land, and chart their own course. This action fulfills a promise and recognizes that Alaska Native self-determination was always meant to include these communities. To the elders and leaders of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell who never gave up: We thank them for persevering. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 41.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6427, the Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025, a bill I introduced to cut unnecessary Federal red tape and deliver real cost savings to America's small, rural airports, especially those across my home State of Alaska. For Alaska, maintaining our small airports is essential to keeping people, goods, and services moving, ensuring that supplies can reach even the most remote communities, and preserving access to lifesaving medical care, reliable mail service, and economic opportunity. For years, the FAA has required even our smallest nonprimary airports, those serving aircraft under 60,000 pounds gross weight, to follow the same costly, one-size-fits-all Federal pavement standards written for the Nation's largest international hubs. These rigid mandates and bureaucratic approval processes drive up construction costs, create lengthy delays, and stall critical runway repairs. H.R. 6427 fixes exactly that problem. It allows States to use their own proven highway construction standards for airfield pavement projects at these nonprimary airports. The process is simple and safe: The State simply notifies the Secretary of its intent, and the FAA must determine that the specifications will not negatively affect safety in any way. There is no new Federal spending and no lowering of standards, just commonsense flexibility that gets work done faster and cheaper for the airports that need it most. This legislation has strong bipartisan support because it helps rural airports in every corner of the country without ever compromising the safety of the traveling public. Madam Speaker, in Alaska, our airports are lifelines. Passing H.R. 6427 will empower States and local communities to maintain those lifelines more efficiently and affordably. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense measure.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3903, the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act, a bill I introduced to right a historic wrong that has gone unresolved for more than three decades. Nearly 40 years ago, an oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling over 11 million gallons of crude oil across 1,300 miles of pristine Alaskan coastline. In the aftermath, the Federal Government used settlement funds to acquire roughly 231,000 acres of surface land for conservation, but it never acquired the subsurface rights underneath. Those belong to Chugach Alaska Corporation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The result was a split estate. The Federal Government owned the surface. Chugach owned the subsurface, and neither side could act. Conservation goals were incomplete, and Chugach's Alaska Native shareholders were locked out of their lands. This bill fixes that. Under H.R. 3903, Chugach trades its approximately 231,000 acres of unusable subsurface estate, land beneath Federal conservation holdings that cannot be practically developed, in exchange for approximately 65,000 acres of fee simple land identified by the Bureau of Land Management as economically viable and culturally significant. Through this action, the Federal footprint in Alaska is actually reduced by approximately 65,000 acres. Not 1 acre is added to the Federal estate. This is a true win-win. It perfects the conservation purpose of the original oil spill recovery program by unifying the surface and subsurface estates, and it finally gives Chugach Alaska Corporation and its Native shareholders the opportunity for the foundation that ANCSA intended. Congress recognized this problem in 2019, when it directed the Department of the Interior to study this issue. BLM delivered its report in 2022, confirming the conflict and identifying lands for exchange. This legislation is built on those findings, the product of years of work by Chugach Alaska Corporation, by the Alaska delegation, through bipartisan work in the House Natural Resources Committee, and this body. Mr. Speaker, the people of the Chugach region have waited 36 years for this resolution, and this bill delivers it. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3903. I thank the House Natural Resources Committee for its unanimous bipartisan support.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Earl Lackey, a pioneer of Alaska's motorsports community and the driving force behind Alaska Raceway Park. Earl's commitment to racing spans more than half a century. In the early 1960s, while stationed in Germany as an Army helicopter mechanic, he worked on a pit crew at the legendary Nurburgring. Those early days sparked a lifelong devotion to motorsports. He raced sports cars in Wisconsin before moving to Alaska in 1983, and in 1994, he helped purchase a small drag strip. By 1998, he became its sole owner. With his family, Earl built, literally by hand, the foundation of what would become the northernmost NASCAR-sanctioned track in the world. Anyone who has ridden in Earl's pace car knows the magic that he helped create in Alaska. Earl shaped a track that NASCAR calls a model for community racing. The raceway is a family endeavor: Karen, his wife, at the ticket booth; his son Jim on the ground; and his daughter Michelle managing operations. Together, they built a gathering place where generations of racers, families, and visitors find excitement and camaraderie. Madam Speaker, we honor Earl Lackey for his vision, his perseverance, and the community he forged at Alaska Raceway Park. His legacy, in the view of Alaska's Pioneer Peak, will endure for generations to come.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, Alaska's future is tied to land. It is how we build infrastructure, develop our resources, and create opportunities for our communities, but for far too long, Alaska Native Corporations have faced unnecessary delays and constraints in securing the lands they were promised under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. After more than 50 years, Cape Fox Corporation, representing the village of Saxman, is among the last southeast villages still waiting for a full land entitlement. H.R. 2815 fixes that. The bill authorizes a simple strategic land exchange, about 180 acres, to finally connect two Cape Fox parcels and honor a promise made decades ago. This bill also paves the way for a renewable energy corridor and year-round access to vital subsistence and tourism areas. It enables local development, supports energy independence, and strengthens southeast Alaska's economy, all while respecting Tribal sovereignty and the original intent of ANCSA. There is strong local support for this bill from utilities, businesses, and local governments. It is a commonsense, consensus- driven solution. Let's finish what Congress started and deliver resolution to the people of Saxman. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2815 and help move the people of Saxman forward.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3620, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025. This is a bill that reflects both common sense and compassion, and I am proud to sponsor it. Southcentral Foundation is a nationally respected Alaska Native health provider, serving over 70,000 people with an integrated, culturally grounded model of care that works. Some of the buildings that they are using for behavioral health services, buildings like the Quyana Clubhouse, are aging, inadequate, and, in some cases, were never meant to facilitate medical services. One facility was literally a former morgue. Mr. Speaker, this legislation enables something critically important, the ability to deliver modern mental health care in a space designed for healing and recovery. In Alaska, we face real challenges. People dealing with serious mental illness are being served in locations that were not designed for clinical care. That is unacceptable. They deserve better--safe, dignified, purpose-built treatment environments that reflect the seriousness of their needs and the inherent dignity of their lives. H.R. 3620 clears the way for Southcentral Foundation to build that future. This bill transfers land already in use and allows Southcentral Foundation to make long-term investments in modern infrastructure. The bill supports Tribal self-determination, strengthens care delivery, and empowers a trusted partner to do even more for our communities. This is a narrowly tailored, fiscally responsible bill with broad support. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing this measure and helping more Alaskans get the care that they deserve.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3176, the bill to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System. This is a program of national importance. Volcano monitoring strengthens safety and emergency preparedness across the country, from the Cascades to Hawaii to the Rockies, but there is no question that Alaska has the most at stake. Our State is home to over 130 active volcanos, by far the largest concentration in the United States. These aren't isolated or dormant. Mount Spurr, just 80 miles from Anchorage, reached a yellow alert level due to elevated seismic activity earlier this year, and it is still listed as a very high threat by the most recent edition of the USGS National Volcanic Threat Assessment. If it erupts, as it did in 1992 and 1953, ashfall could shut down air traffic, damage critical infrastructure, and put lives at risk. H.R. 3176 is a straightforward, 5-year reauthorization that keeps the program funded and operational. It maintains existing funding levels but provides the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners with the continuity that they need to monitor high-threat volcanos and coordinate real-time alerts with emergency responders. Early warning is essential. It gives pilots time to reroute, gives communities time to prepare, and saves lives, especially in rural, high-risk States like Alaska where response logistics are already challenging. This is a bipartisan, science-based system that works. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3176 and ensure that every community living in the shadow of volcanic risk has the tools to stay safe.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5131, the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025. This is a bipartisan, commonsense measure that ensures our Armed Forces retain access to some of the most essential training lands in the United States. For decades, public lands in Alaska, New Mexico, and California have been withdrawn from military use under statute. These withdrawals are not permanent, they must be renewed by Congress, and several of them are now scheduled to expire. If Congress fails to act, then critical training areas at Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely in Alaska, the McGregor Range in New Mexico, and Fort Irwin in California would lose their legal status for military use. H.R. 5131 solves that problem by extending these withdrawals for 25 more years and making necessary technical corrections to land descriptions to ensure accuracy and proper management. In Alaska alone, this bill protects more than 850,000 acres of world- class training terrain used by the 11th Airborne Division, the Army's only Arctic-designated division. These soldiers must train in extreme cold, remote, and challenging environments in order to be prepared for real-world missions in the high north. There is simply no substitute for the terrain and conditions Alaska provides. This legislation does not expand the military footprint or limit public access beyond what is already established. Importantly, this bill does not bypass environmental review. In fact, the military has engaged in robust consultation with Tribes, local communities, conservation groups, and stakeholders across Alaska, New Mexico, and California. What this bill does is straightforward. It preserves readiness, strengthens national security, and upholds responsible stewardship of public lands, all while ensuring the continuity of training operations that our servicemembers rely on to stay prepared and to stay safe. At a time when global threats are ever-present, particularly in the Arctic, Congress must ensure our military can train as they fight. H.R. 5131 accomplishes exactly that. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support, and I urge all Members to join me in voting ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, as the sole Representative of Alaska in the United States House, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 131, a resolution to overturn the Biden administration's 2024 Record of Decision, an action that severely restricted energy development on the coastal plain of Alaska's North Slope. For Alaskans, this issue is foundational--economically, strategically, and culturally. The 10-02 area of ANWR, the coastal plain, is the most studied piece of land in Alaska and one of the most resource-rich energy basins in North America. Congress set this area aside specifically because of its oil and gas potential, and Congress has twice mandated that it be leased for energy development. Yet in December 2024, in the final days of the outgoing administration, the Department of the Interior issued a new Record of Decision that made only 400,000 acres available, a mere 25 percent of the legally designated coastal plain, effectively shutting down 1.16 million acres that Congress expressly told the Department to lease. That Record of Decision ignored Congress. It ignored the statutory mandate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and it ignored the voices of the people who actually live on Alaska's North Slope. Thanks to a request from Alaska's delegation, the Government Accountability Office issued a legal opinion on August 25 confirming that this 2024 Record of Decision is a rule under the Congressional Review Act. That opinion, printed in the Congressional Record in September, triggered the CRA window that allows Congress to act today. Congress must act because Alaskans have spoken clearly, and they have spoken loudly. The North Slope Inupiat leadership, including the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, the North Slope Borough, and the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, have consistently supported responsible development in the 10-02 area of our North Slope. For decades, they have supported balanced development because they know how vital it is to sustain their communities, maintain their way of life, and fund essential public services. Oil and gas development on the North Slope provides 95 percent of local tax revenue, which pays for schools, clinics, utilities, public safety, and infrastructure in some of the most remote and high-cost communities in America. Without development, those services disappear. Mr. Speaker, the law is clear. The science is clear, and the economic reality is undeniable. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the coastal plain contains 10.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil, a resource that can strengthen America's energy security at a time when geopolitical instability is rising and global energy demand is surging. President Trump recognized this on day one, issuing executive order 14153, Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential, directing the Secretary of the Interior to restore the lawful 2020 framework. The Bureau of Land Management is already implementing that directive, working to reinstate the 2020 Record of Decision and moving forward with the four statutorily required lease sales mandated by the American working families tax cut. However, unless we disapprove of the 2024 ROD today, regulatory whiplash will continue, investment will remain frozen, and local communities will shoulder the burden of Federal indecision. H.J. Res. 131 ends that uncertainty. It restores the legally compliant 2020 Record of Decision. It restores the full acreage Congress authorized for leasing, and it restores, importantly, the voice of the North Slope residents in Alaska. Mr. Speaker, Alaska has the energy the world needs. America has the workforce to develop that energy responsibly, and Alaska's communities, from Utqiagvik to Kaktovik, have been asking for consistency, partnership, and respect from their Federal Government. Today we can answer that call, and I urge my colleague to vote ``yes,'' and support Alaska, support American energy security.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S.J. Res. 80, legislation to disapprove of the Bureau of Land Management's 2022 Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Let me be very clear. This is not an abstract policy debate for the people of Alaska. This is about whether the Federal Government will honor both the law and its commitments to the people who call Alaska home and whether America will choose energy independence over energy uncertainty. The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, an area the size of Indiana, was set aside more than a century ago to ensure that the United States had a strategic domestic energy supply. Congress reaffirmed that purpose in the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, directing the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an ``expeditious program of competitive leasing'' in the NPR-A, but the 2022 Integrated Activity Plan issued in the final stretch of the last administration turned that congressional mandate on its head. It shut the door on 48 percent of the reserve, reducing available acreage from 18.6 million acres to just 11.8 million acres, and restricted infrastructure corridors across millions more. In effect, the plan attempted to create a wilderness area in a petroleum reserve, and it did so without listening to the people who actually live there. Alaska is asking us to act. The Inupiat people who live in the area have spoken, and they could not have been clearer. Through the North Slope Regional Trilateral--the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, the North Slope Borough, and the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, we have heard that the Biden administration's 2022 plan imposed ``sweeping restrictions that curtail responsible development, undermine congressional intent, and disregard the well-being of the people who depend on these lands for both subsistence and livelihoods.'' These communities are located in an area nearly the size of Minnesota with no highway connections, extreme transportation costs, and a cost of living among the highest in the Nation. Oil and gas development funds their schools, their public safety, their utilities, their clinics, basic services that most Americans assume that their local government can provide. On the North Slope, that stability exists because responsible development exists, and we have a duty to ensure that it continues. Alaska's business community stands with them. The Alaska Support Industry Alliance, representing 547 companies and 35,000 Alaskan workers, warned that the 2022 plan jeopardizes the jobs and investment that their families depend on. National organizations from the National Federation of Independent Businesses to the American Exploration & Production Council to the American Petroleum Institute have also voiced their support for reversing this restrictive rule, and the administration itself has made clear that restoring access to the NPR-A is a priority. President Trump's Executive Order No. 14153, Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential, directs the Secretary of the Interior to review and rescind the 2022 decision and reestablish a balanced framework consistent with the 2020 plan. This statement of administration policy strongly supports this resolution. Mr. Speaker, Alaska is ready to power America. We are ready to help lower energy costs for families and small businesses. We are ready to strengthen national security by reducing our reliance on foreign nations. The people who live in Alaska's Far North, the people whose ancestors have called the region home for 10,000 years, are asking us to restore the balanced, lawful management framework that they helped shape. S.J. Res. 80 does exactly that. It restores congressional intent. It restores certainty for Alaska's communities. It restores America's strategic energy reserve. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S.J. Res. 80, and to stand with Alaska, with energy workers, with the Inupiat people of the North Slope, and with an American future grounded in abundant, affordable, secure energy.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, it is with solemn respect and heartfelt sympathy that we honor the life and legacy of Brenda Itta-Lee. Her passing is a loss not only to family and community, but to the entire State of Alaska. As we reflect on her life, we recognize a trailblazer whose leadership, vision, and cultural heritage shaped the course of Alaska's history. Brenda was the first Inupiaq woman elected to the Alaska State Legislature. Her election in 1974 broke barriers and opened doors that had been closed to Indigenous women in public office. Yet her impact extended far beyond that groundbreaking moment. She carried the weight of that role with strength, representing her people with dignity and resolve. From her work in the Governor's Office to her influential role as a delegate at the 1971 Alaska Federation of Natives Conference, she helped define Indigenous self-determination for many generations. Raised in Utqiagvik, Brenda understood the responsibility of public service in deeply personal terms. She never forgot her roots, and she never stopped giving back. Her career was marked not only by political leadership, but by mentorship and advocacy. Whether testifying before Congress or encouraging young Alaska Natives to pursue their dreams, she made space for others to rise with her. Her leadership was as much about listening as it was about speaking, and her influence lives on in the many lives she uplifted. She once said that her greatest accomplishment was simply serving as a role model to young people in her region. But that was not a simple task. It was a conscious, consistent choice to carry herself with grace, pride, and purpose in boardrooms, in classrooms, and in moments of national consequence. Through her life's work, she preserved traditions, advanced representation, and brought the full strength of Inupiaq values into the halls of government. Brenda's legacy will remain a guiding light for Alaska.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to honor a trailblazer in Alaska's sports history, Scott Gomez for his induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. As the first Alaskan to receive this extraordinary distinction, Mr. Gomez has not only broken barriers in the world of professional hockey but has also served as a role model for generations of young Alaskans. Born in Anchorage and a graduate of East Anchorage High School, Mr. Gomez rose swiftly through the ranks of professional hockey. He made an immediate impact in his rookie season with the New Jersey Devils, by winning the NHL's Calder Memorial Trophy. His career would go on to include two Stanley Cup championships, over 1,000 games in the NHL, and international representation with Team USA at the Winter Olympics. Beyond his accolades on the ice, Mr. Gomez's legacy is defined by his commitment to community. During the 2012 NHL lockout, while many of his peers played overseas, he returned home to Alaska to play in front of local fans. He has continued to mentor youth and invest in the sport through coaching roles, including his current position with the USHL's Surrey Eagles. Mr. Gomez also founded the Scott Gomez Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting youth hockey and increasing opportunities for underserved communities. Through scholarships, clinics, and community work, the foundation reflects his deep commitment to giving back and uplifting the next generation of players. Scott Gomez embodies the values of perseverance, excellence, and service that make Alaska proud. His journey from local rinks to national recognition reflects the very best of our state's spirit of optimism, hard work, and generosity. I offer my congratulations on this well-deserved honor and thank him for the inspiration he continues to provide both on and off the ice.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, we are in uncharted territory. We are in uncharted territory because the previous administration took us here. At the end of the day, we hear from voices across America, but we don't hear from the voices of the people of my home State. The people who I have spoken with, the landowners, the Alaska Natives, who were not consulted by the previous administration in the development and approval of this resource management plan, have stepped forward and said: We need to remove this plan, and we need to make sure that something like this does not happen again in the future. I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 106, a resolution to overturn the Bureau of Land Management's 2024 Central Yukon Resource Management Plan. This Biden-era management plan locks up more than 13 million acres of land in Alaska, part of a region that spans 56 million acres in my State. The plan threatens economic opportunity and undermines national security while ignoring the needs of everyday Alaskans. The plan also designates more than 3.6 million acres as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern with little or no justification. The Biden plan restricts access to Alaska Native lands, violating commitments made under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Sadly, the plan also continues outdated land withdrawals that block responsible access to our Nation's critical mineral resources. Mr. Speaker, this is not balance. It is Federal overreach that is ensuring that Alaska's wealth stays in the ground, unavailable to the people of one of America's most impoverished regions. The plan also obstructs projects vital to America's future, such as the Ambler Road, which will bring access to strategic and critical minerals; and the Alaska LNG project, which is projected to deliver 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day and create more than 10,000 jobs in Alaska. These projects are essential to American energy security. They are essential to Alaska's economic growth, and they are essential to lowering costs for America's working families. This resolution supports President Trump's commitment to unleashing Alaska's extraordinary energy and resource potential. It restores balance to public land policy, ensures that we meet our commitments to Alaska's Native communities, and allows for opportunity in an area of my State that is desperately in need. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 106 to strengthen America's energy and mineral dominance, to strengthen our economic and national security, and to keep our promises to the people of Alaska.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, fewer than 20 Alaska native Vietnam-era veterans have received their conveyances. A big part of the reason why so few of the more than 2,000 eligible Vietnam-era veterans or their heirs have received those lands is because they were delayed or outright blocked by the previous administration. The previous administration blocked their ability to select and receive their lands. To hear my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, in this Chamber suggesting that somehow Republicans are standing in the way of Vietnam-era veteran land conveyances in my home State is ludicrous. It is simply not true. In fact, my bill extends the available time for them to make those selections by 5 years, and there is nothing in this CRA that prevents them from making those selections. We hope that they do. In fact, we want more land to be available to those families. In fact, there are some communities in Alaska where Vietnam-era veterans who are eligible in this program have to select land hundreds of miles away from their own community. We are trying to unlock the State of Alaska, Mr. Speaker. It is my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in this Chamber that have repeatedly blocked our ability to do so.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025. This bill extends the application period for the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program by 5 years, ensuring that eligible veterans can claim the land that they were promised. For decades, thousands of Alaska Native veterans who served in Vietnam were unfairly denied the ability to apply for land allotments due to their service overseas. While Congress took steps to correct this injustice, the executive branch, until recently, has been slow processing applications and conveyances, leaving many veterans in limbo. As of January 2025, out of more than 2,000 eligible veterans, only 41 applications have been certified, and only 18 veterans have received their conveyances. Fortunately, executive orders issued by the current administration have reinstated Federal land withdrawals that were previously revoked. This bill will give these veterans time to participate in the program, with ample land for viable selections. These veterans served our country honorably, and we need to make sure that they are not denied what they were promised. I thank the Speaker for consideration of H.R. 410, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025. This bill extends the application period for the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program by 5 years, ensuring eligible veterans can claim the land that they were promised. For decades, thousands of Alaska Native veterans who served in Vietnam were unfairly denied the ability to apply for land allotments due to their service overseas. While Congress took steps to correct this injustice, the executive branch until recently has been slowly processing eligibility applications and conveyances, leaving many veterans in limbo. As of January 2025, out of more than 2,000 eligible Alaska Native veterans, only 41 applications have been certified, and only 18 veterans have received their conveyances. Fortunately, executive orders issued by the current administration have reinstated Federal land withdrawals previously revoked, returning lands to the State of Alaska and unlocking lands that had been closed. This expansion of available land increases opportunities for veterans to select and receive their rightful allotments. This bill will give these veterans time to participate in the program with ample land for viable selections. These veterans served our country honorably, and we need to make sure that they are not denied what they were promised. Thank you for your consideration of H.R. 410. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the many opportunities of Alaska. As America's most Western State, most Eastern State, and most Northern State, Alaska is nearly 20 percent of the United States' landmass. We have more than half of the United States coastline, and it is estimated that we have more undiscovered estimated natural gas and oil resources than any other State in the country. We have nearly every critical mineral on the critical minerals list in Alaska. We have base metals, precious metals, and of course we have rare earths in abundance. We have incredible timber resources, and we produce about 60 percent of America's seafood. Alaska is a crucial State, and I am proud to be a member of our House's Western Caucus. I am the only Member from the State of Alaska. We have about 730,000 people who live in a State that is 2\1/2\ times the size of Texas. We are vast. We are independent, and we want to make sure that we have the ability to develop the resources that we have been blessed with. Under President Trump's leadership, we have seen executive orders that specifically allow for development of our critical minerals, those rare earths that I spoke of, and of our natural resources, including tremendous energy resources in ANWR, NPR-A, and elsewhere. That is what Alaskans want. Alaskans want the ability to be independent, to develop their resources responsibly, and to stand on their own two feet. I am thrilled to be a part of this body, a body that is focused on making sure that Alaska's resource potential is fully unlocked, that our mineral potential is fully unlocked, and that we restore domestic supply chains again. As we restore those supply chains, we know that those supply chains begin with resources and begin with energy to process those resources. Alaska is the cornerstone of this strategy, and we are excited to be a part of that conversation. I look forward to the opportunities that we will be bringing forward in the 119th Congress to advance Alaska's interests, our Nation's interests, and restore domestic manufacturing in this Nation again.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1368, the Department of Energy and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act. This legislation authorizes the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to carry out research and development activities focused on the advancement of shared DOE and NASA mission priorities. This includes R&D in critical technology areas like nuclear thermal propulsion systems, astrophysics, radiation health effects, machine learning, and more. DOE and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, have a long and successful history of interagency collaboration with NASA. Over the last 60 years, this relationship has evolved from radioisotope power systems to new areas of research such as quantum information and environmental sciences. This interagency relationship has greatly benefited my home State of Alaska. The North Slope of Alaska is home to the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement, or ARM, user facility, which gathers data pertaining to clouds and radiation processes in cold environments and high altitudes. Given its strengths, NASA has partnered with this DOE facility to conduct research in areas such as aerosols. In addition, any atmospheric data from ARM stands to benefit the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island in my home State of Alaska, which supports commercial and government suborbital and orbital launch missions, as well. Additionally, H.R. 1368 requires the Secretary and the Administrator to implement research security provisions consistent with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Given the transformational nature of these emerging technologies and their impact on national security, this language is necessary to protect our investments and breakthroughs from hostile powers such as the Chinese Communist Party. I thank my colleague, Mr. Whitesides of California, for working with me on this important legislation and continuing the bipartisan tradition of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1368 is a good governance and commonsense bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 60.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 35, which repeals the Biden administration's natural gas tax, a misguided policy that drives up costs, stifles investment, and weakens our energy security. This so-called waste emissions charge won't reduce methane emissions, but it will punish American producers, increase reliance on foreign energy, and make life more expensive for America's working families. While some claim this tax does not directly impact my home State of Alaska, what is bad for American energy is bad for Alaskan energy. Alaska holds over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and the Alaska LNG project is our best chance to bring it to market. Yet, burdensome Federal regulations discourage investment, keeping Alaska's energy potential locked away. Meanwhile, Cook Inlet gas supplies are declining, threatening Alaskans in south central Alaska with higher heating and electricity costs. If we want long-term energy security, we must develop our resources. Mr. Speaker, every job is an energy job because energy powers everything that we do. Supporting American energy production means creating good-paying jobs in oil and gas, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and small businesses that rely on affordable energy. The Alaska LNG project alone would generate thousands of jobs, strengthening our economy and supply chains. If we want to grow opportunity for working families, we must stand with American energy and repeal the natural gas tax. Let's be clear: Opponents of this bill are spreading falsehoods. They claim this tax will cut emissions, but the U.S. already leads the world in methane reduction, cutting emissions intensity by 42 percent since 2015. They say this is about Big Oil, but 90 percent of U.S. natural gas comes from small and midsize producers. They claim only gas producers are affected, but the Biden administration designed this rule to also hit oil producers.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, they argue this tax protects energy security, yet it increases reliance on foreign adversaries. If we are serious about energy security, affordability, and economic growth, we must repeal the natural gas tax. H.J. Res. 35 is a commonsense step toward a stronger energy future. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''