Fighting for Alaska’s Priorities

Alaska has huge needs for infrastructure – roads, ports, airports, bridges and other public facilities - that can only be met with help from the federal government. That’s why Senator Begich supports using earmarks to help Alaska’s communities.

In his first two years in the Senate, he has helped secure approximately $900 million in earmark requests from Alaskan communities and non-profits. His focus has been on projects that protect health, safety and create jobs. For example, he secured $2 million for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for Training Dental Health Care Workers, and $10 million for the Denali Commission to support health and economic development.

In 2011, the leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives vowed to oppose earmarks and President Obama said he will veto any bill containing earmarks. As a result, Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye announced a two-year moratorium on all earmarks.

That means there will be no earmarks for the next two years. Senator Begich strongly disagrees with this position, because young states like Alaska have critical and unique needs. In the past two years, Alaskans have asked for about $10 billion in earmark funding.

While we need to cut spending and reduce the national deficit, banning earmarks is not a serious deficit reduction strategy, and will disadvantage our state by ceding authority to executive agencies to fund Alaska projects. Each year, he receives hundreds of meritorious project requests that create jobs, or promote health and safety throughout the state, and many of these projects have received funding through the earmark process.

Senator Begich will continue to advocate for projects for Alaska in as many bills as possible and within agencies. Now, more than ever, communities and non-profits need to consider competitive grants and loans available through federal programs.