Lisa Cassino: Running for office is tough, but this forum is about focusing on the issues that matter most to the Alaskans here in this room and throughout our state, but especially to the business community as well. I encourage thoughtful, respectful discussion and, uh, and that we focus on key concerns that will drive Alaska's future forward.
I hope we can keep the focus on meaningful dialogue that will benefit us all. A quick reminder, I would just like to encourage the audience to refrain from clapping after candidate responses so we can maximize our time here today.
Now to the candidates. There is a giant clock in front of you here on the screen. It will indicate how much time you guys have left. Please finish to aim your state, uh, finish your statements within that time so that I don't have to step in or cut the mics. Um, I'll alternate between the candidates, uh, which of you will answer first and I'll indicate that, um, as we go. So with that, we're gonna go and get right started.
We're going to hear first from Mr. Begich with a 60 second response to our first question. The Tax Cuts and Job Acts signed nearly seven years ago modernize the U. S. tax system, particularly regarding business income and cross border transactions. However, many of these reforms expire at the end of 2025.
Without Congressional action, these expirations could negatively impact individuals and businesses of all sizes. So, if elected, what steps would you take to ensure that tax policies remain favorable for economic growth and business competitiveness, and do you support extending or making permanent vital provisions to the Tax Cut and Jobs Act?
[00:01:32] Nick Begich: So, I do believe that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act needs to be made permanent and, uh, it does expire and it's creating a lot of business risk for a number of companies out there. 179 deductions will go away, uh, research tax credits going away. Um, you see, you will see a dramatic increase in corporate tax rates and as a result a reduction in investment that's needed to support the innovation economy.
So, I'm a big supporter of reasonably low taxes. And I think what's interesting, what you saw after the, uh, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed is that government revenue actually went up. Which tells you that businesses were able to invest, generate additional profits, and actually increased, uh, government revenue.
So, I don't support increasing taxes. I think we need to renew those, uh, those tax cuts. I think it's important for maintaining innovation in the economy, and I will be a strong supporter of doing so.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Peltola.
[00:02:29] Mary Peltola: Thank you, Lisa. I also support the extension of these Tax cuts. I am a, uh, co-sponsor on the Main Street Certainty Act.
It's now in the hopper. And that extends parts of the Trump tax cuts. That will help small businesses. I've heard about this first hand, every, in every community in Alaska, starting from Ketchikan, all the way up to Barrow. Small business owners are really looking at the implications and, and they, they saw the growth.
They saw the benefits of these tax cuts in 2017 and we need to make sure that these go forward. Um, I'm also a co-sponsor of the Prove It Act. Um, and, and I can prove it to you when it passes, um, but, um, honestly, this Congress has not been a very productive Congress. There is a lot of hope that in the lame duck, this is one of the things that will move forward.
There's a lot of things, um, in the lame duck that are priorities and this is certainly one of them.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. We're going to jump right to our first candidate-to-candidate question round for some direct exchanges between our candidates here. Uh, Representative Peltola, you'll ask a question first in this round.
Each candidate is going to have 30 seconds to ask their opponent a question. They'll have 90 seconds to respond. If unsatisfied or if you want to clarify, the question asker will have 30 seconds to redress and the opponent will have 45 seconds to close. So, Ms. Peltola, you have 30 seconds.
[00:03:54] Mary Peltola: Thank you. Uh, Nick, when I was in Fairbanks a couple months ago, I met with the Chamber of Commerce right here in Fairbanks.
The biggest priority that the Interior Chamber has is the electrical transmission line for Fairbanks. The Interior needs more reliable, affordable energy. I've already secured hundreds of millions of dollars for the energy grid resilience, and I'm working to get that transmission line extended into the Interior.
But you're on the record opposing federal infrastructure spending. How do we support more transmission for the interior without this federal investment?
[00:04:28] Nick Begich: Well, I am not on the record, uh, being opposed to infrastructure spending. What I am opposed to is mislabeled bills that indicate something is for infrastructure, and 80 percent of which is not for infrastructure.
I believe in hard infrastructure investments in Alaska. I think that's crucially important. And I think that, uh, we have been behind the curve. As a young state still in receiving the, the kinds of infrastructure investments that have been afforded to other states in the lower 48. I think it's really important that we make sure that we have investments made into, um, grid resilience.
I think that's crucial. I think what we saw in the last winter months, um, was a near failure of our grid. And that was at a dangerous time when we were seeing, uh, you Record low temperatures in Anchorage and Fairbanks and throughout the rail belt so I think that's very important I think investments in Projects like the Dixon diversion that allow us to do additional hydro development are also very important. We have to have excess energy generation capacity.
I think one The other thing that has been very disappointing that we've seen out of the Biden administration is a number of executive orders that target our ability to generate energy in our state. We see that in the Cook Inlet where they target our ability to hold lease sales there. We see that on the North Slope when they shut down ANWR and they shut down exploration of the NPRA.
And that natural gas and those oil reserves are important energy sources for our state. And so, I think, you know, at the end of the day, we've got to have somebody in office that fully supports energy development and is on the team that supports energy development in Alaska.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Would you like to redress?
[00:06:02] Mary Peltola: Thank you. I'm not sure Alaskans can trust you on this one because you have been on the record two years ago. You primaried Don Young over his investments in infrastructure and challenged that and said that that was a waste of money and Don Young was too liberal for Alaska and out of touch. So, I'm just wondering how we can trust that you are invested in making sure you bring infrastructure back to Alaska.
Do you have any examples of doing such?
[00:06:30] Nick Begich: You know, I think that is so out of context, and it's pretty consistent with your entire campaign. Taking little snippets and trying to run them in commercials, taking little snippets and trying to run them in ads.
Mary Peltola: I certainly know how that feels.
[00:06:42] Lisa Cassino: Excuse me. Let's speak to the question.
[00:06:43] Nick Begich: Uh, the truth of the matter is, what I said is consistent today with what I said two years ago. And two years ago I said, look, this infrastructure bill is not pure infrastructure. Eighty percent of this bill does not go into hard infrastructure.
I want to see investments that have a return on investment. I don't want to see wasteful spending and I don't want to see things like the Inflation Reduction Act, which is labeled as inflation reduction but actually caused inflation by any measure and has been called by the left. As their number one climate bill. When things are mislabeled the public. Thank you.
Lisa Cassino: Mr. Begich, you now have the opportunity to ask Representative Peltola a question. And you have 30 seconds to ask your question. 90 seconds to respond.
[00:07:34] Nick Begich: So yesterday I appeared with Majority Leader Steve Scalise on Mike Percaro's show in Anchorage to discuss how we will work together to lock in Alaska's right to produce Alaska's resources. By using things like the budget reconciliation process and other must pass legislation. What promises or initiatives have you, uh, announced together with your Democrat leadership to restore Alaska's right to produce and access our resources?
[00:08:03] Mary Peltola: I demonstrated the largest commitment to Alaska's right to produce by helping to muscle through the second. Authorization of the Willow Project. And I think everyone in the interior of Alaska has seen the direct benefit of getting Willow up online. It was because of a bipartisan delegation that we were able to convince the President to go back on a campaign promise that he made.
He reversed that promise because my caucus said This lady knows what Alaskans want and Alaskans need. We need to defer to her judgment and listen to her advice. The Senators and I were able to secure a meeting with the President because my leadership, the leadership in my caucus demanded a meeting. He was going to give us a meeting after the record of decision.
That was a no go. And I went in there and made compelling arguments. I think both of our senators will vouch for me. I know ConocoPhillips has a commercial coming out thanking me for the instrumental work I provided on pushing Willow through. Willow would not have happened but for a bipartisan delegation, and I made that happen.
I am so proud of the work that I did on Willow. That was your number one objective two years ago, and I got it done. I'm so proud of that. And then to be mislabeled as anything but pro energy is the biggest joke of this campaign. I think it's absolutely laughable, and the people who are in the trenches with me, the people who are seeing the economic benefit.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Mr. Begich, would you like to redress?
[00:09:41] Nick Begich: The president himself came out today, two weeks after. Approving the willow project and said on the record that the only reason that he approved that project is because his lawyers told him if He didn't he'd lose in court. He didn't mention mary palatola.
He didn't mention the delegation. He didn't mention the meeting He said that he said it was attorneys that said that he had to approve it So that's provably false you voted against the alaska's right to produce act when you voted present Not yes or no, you don't support energy development in our state. And I think that's clear.
[00:10:12] Lisa Cassino: Representative Peltola, 45 seconds to respond if you would like.
[00:10:16] Mary Peltola: Yeah, I just think that, uh, this, this is one of the, the most, um, egregious mischaracterization, mischaracterizations of the work that I have done over the last two years. Not only are we pushing for willow, but we're pushing for natural gas so that people in the, in the Fairbanks area and all over the state have access to cheap energy.
We cannot have an economy. Our households are struggling without affordable petroleum. I pay over a thousand dollars a month for my heat in Bethel. We've got to fix that for Alaskans statewide, and I am all in on finding energy solutions.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. We will have one more opportunity for candidate to candidate dialogue, but we're going to move on to our next question.
Again, a 60 second response. Mr. Begich, you'll begin. Uh, the question is, ballot measure one, which Alaskans will vote on this November, has generated debate among businesses and organizations, including the Fairbanks Chamber and the Alaska Chamber advocating for a vote no on one. If passed, this measure will raise the minimum wage by $3, require paid time off for employers of any type and size, and limit employees’ free speech rights. This ballot measure will impose new restrictions on employers, and if passed, it will hamper economic development and job creation. Where do you stand on ballot measure one, and how do you believe it will affect Alaska's business environment and economy? 60 seconds.
[00:11:43] Nick Begich: Well, I agree. I think it will negatively impact, uh, Alaska's business, climate, and economy if passed. And look, uh, you know, I think most of us recognize that the prevailing wage right now, even for entry level jobs, is far above. Uh, that of minimum wage and we see that if you just drive by a McDonald's, you're going to see in some cases 20 an hour being offered for people to work there.
So, you know, I'm not sure that we need this, uh, increase in minimum wage. I think what we need is to make sure that we keep entry level jobs available for young workers and for people who need additional work. And I think that, uh, that keeping a low minimum wage allows us to do that. Effectively. And, uh, I think there are additional components, as was mentioned, uh, attached to ballot measure one that are going to make it much harder from a regulatory perspective for businesses to remain in business, to stay profitable, and to continue to employ their workforce.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Peltola.
[00:12:36] Mary Peltola: Thanks Lisa. The policies that are at the core of this ballot measures are, are policies that I fundamentally support. I do believe in raising the minimum wage, but I don't think that it will have a broad application in Alaska because all of you are paying more than 15 an hour as it is.
Uh, the going rate in Alaska is very competitive, even for entry level jobs, so I, I'm not sure that the 15 an hour is, is the, is the catch point, um, here. I do believe in paid sick leave. I think, um, making sure that we have paid sick leaves helps. Our workforce, um, maintains stability, um, and, and, uh, and assurances that we're keeping everyone healthy.
And I do believe in protecting the constitutional freedoms of all Alaskans. And I look forward to continuing the dialogue on the best way to implement workplace reform while making sure that we re, remain flexible for employers like yourself.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Do you care to share how you are going to vote?
Yes or no on ballot measure one? Yes or no?
[00:13:40] Nick Begich: No. Mary Peltola: Yes.
Lisa Cassino: Okay. We're going to move into our energy related questions. I know we just had a discussion about this, but um, we have some big energy issues here in the state. So Alaska is one of the country's most energy rich and energy dependent states, relying on fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
Despite Alaska's abundant natural gas reserves, we face the potential of importing LNG due to delays in developing infrastructure such as a pipeline to bring our natural gas to market. So if elected, how would you work to expedite the development of Alaska's natural gas resources and ensure that the state can fully benefit from its energy potential without relying on imports?
Representative Peltola, you'll begin for 60 seconds.
[00:14:28] Mary Peltola: Thank you. I have been working on this for two years, and this is something that Alaskans have been working on for decades. This has been something that we have been striving towards, and many people, many legislatures, many experts, many of the major companies have also been working on this.
The Senators and I, we meet with the Governor to talk about how important this is, making, forging partnerships with, uh, other nations that want to buy our natural gas, Japan, Korea, um, and, and others. I think that this is, Um, a huge boon not only for us as residents and getting cheaper energy for our own households, but also our general fund to make sure that we're giving out handsome dividends.
Like every modern economy, energy and cheap energy is the key. To having a robust and real economy going forward. There's nothing more important to me than making sure that Alaska is affordable. And this is the highest cost that most of us face besides rent or mortgage is energy.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Mr. Begich.
[00:15:33] Nick Begich: Well, I do think it's really important for us to develop all of the energy resources of our state. I mentioned earlier the importance of hydro, but it's also important for us to have reliable, uh, Clean burning natural gas and particularly here in Fairbanks. We know that the cost of energy is through the roof And we've got to build that gas line and whether that's a bullet line or a full line Uh, I think what we need to be looking at is what is the most efficient?
Effective way that we can build a line in Fairbanks And, uh, there's been a number of proposals at the state level, uh, that would provide for natural gas that would support us in the interior and then throughout South Central. I think that's really important. I think that, um, if we can do that, there are additional economic benefits to the rest of the business community that we have.
So it, it doesn't just lower the price of energy. For consumers, but it lowers the price of energy for businesses and allows us to add value to the resource work that we already do in our state. I think that real option gives us some options, and we need to pursue it for that reason as well.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, Representative Peltola, we'll have you begin, uh, this next question as well.
Uh, the Ambler Road Project, which aims to provide access to critical minerals, um, mineral resources in Northwest Alaska, has faced significant delays due to federal permitting challenges. Thank you How would you work to secure federal approval for this project and what steps would you take to ensure that infrastructure projects like Ambler Road can move forward while balancing environmental and community concerns?
60 seconds.
[00:17:03] Mary Peltola: The Ambler project is uniquely complicated of all of the projects that are being looked at statewide. This one is uniquely challenging because it spans two different regions. It spans the Doyon region and the Nana region and both of those regions are very interested in making sure that they have good jobs like the ones at, at Red Dog.
Both of those regions are also very invested in making sure that they have access to the limited fish and game resources that are available to them. I've been a leader in the fight for permitting reform to streamline the process. I, um, have signed on to the amicus brief. Um, many amicus briefs defending mining throughout the state, and I sponsored the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act.
I recently, um, brought up the, I recently spoke with the Army Corps of Engineers, including Colonel Jeff, Palazini, um, to move the Red Dog Extension Project forward. Um, but, you know, on specifically with Ambler, I think one of the chief Thank you. obstacles has been ADA.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, Mr. Begich, Ambler Road to you.
[00:18:12] Nick Begich: I, I fully support the development of the Ambler, uh, District Mining Road. This is a road that was promised to the state of Alaska during, uh, ANILCA. And we need to build it. The reality is that the state of Alaska selected these lands, and a fundamental principle of real estate law is that you can't have stranded lands.
You have to be able to access them. That's why it was a provision within ANILCA. And we know that the tremendous, uh, mineral potential of that region, whether it's critical minerals, On the critical minerals list, whether it's rare earths, in fact base metals and precious metals, that's a tremendous resource that belongs to the people of Alaska, and it needs to be brought to bear.
I think it's exciting to see some of the other mining developments around the state, and this is a region that can create a lot of jobs and a lot of opportunity, not just today, but for generations to come. So I support it. You'll hear full throated advocacy from me on the Ambler District Mining Road, and I think it's something that we need to build, not just for our state, but for the entire nation.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Mr. Begich, you're going to answer our next question first. Um, it's on fisheries. Uh, Alaska's fisheries are a critical part of our economy and cultural heritage and proper management is essential to ensuring their long term sustainability. Recently, there's been growing concern about Russian vessels contributing to bycatch and marketing their catches as Alaskan, which definitely undermines our fisheries and the state's reputation.
If elected, what actions would you take to protect Alaska's fisheries from foreign exploitation, and how would you work to ensure that fisheries management supports sustainability and economic growth for Alaskans?
[00:19:44] Nick Begich: Well, if you listen to my opponent, if I'm elected, there will be no fish in Alaska. This is an ad that she is running on her website right now and denied doing so at our debate two days ago.
So, you know, you're talking about trusting people, caught in a lie right there. But regardless, I think that we need to do everything we can. To support Alaskan fishermen, ensure that we have sustainable, predictable fisheries. That's critically important because this is a perpetual resource that's unique to Alaska.
60 percent of the seafood that we can, that we have in our nation comes from Alaskan waters. And so it's important that that continue. It is the largest employer in the state. Single employer is our fishing industry, and we have to push back against Russian trawlers. And I think that starts with. Actions by the State Department and it involves international relationships.
I think what we've seen is some progress Through some of the congressional actions, but a lot more needs to be done in order to shut down The dumping of Russian trawl fish into our markets
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Peltola.
[00:20:45] Mary Peltola: Thank you. This is another issue that I'm really proud of the work that I've done on it.
Senator Sullivan has been championing keeping Russian caught, uh, unsustainably caught, inhumanely, uh, processed fish out of our market. I was able, he, he's been working on that 10 years with a number of different administrations. In December, uh, I started demanding, I, I, I threatened the administration, I'm going to start demanding resignations if we can't finally get this done.
This is low hanging fruit. Um, and, and Russia has declared war on Alaskan seafood, and they have been undercutting us. They have been putting a glut, not only is it unsustainably caught, but it's But it's being processed through, through Uyghur slave labor. This is a horrible business practice and it's not sustainable.
I'm working to talk with, um, other countries, the ambassador of, of Japan to not import this because it is detrimental to our ocean health. So this is something I'm very proud to work on. I didn't recognize the commercial you referred to yesterday because it's so off.
[00:21:53] Lisa Cassino: Now, uh, we're going to go back to you, Representative Peltola, on this next question, military related, with an increased military activity and geopolitical tensions in the Arctic and Pacific regions, such as the recent incident revolving a Russian fighter jet near Alaska.
How would you advocate for strengthening America's military presence in Alaska? What measures would you support to ensure that Alaska remains a key strategic location for national defense and Arctic security? Representative Peltola, 60 seconds.
[00:22:20] Mary Peltola: Thank you. National security has always been of the utmost importance to Alaska, and Alaska is of the utmost importance to national security.
We have more veterans per capita than any other state in the nation, and that's why I'm proud To have passed the bill to, I voted on the final passage on the largest pay raise, um, in at least 10 years for our military. And that's why I brought home billions of dollars for the state's military bases, Arctic security and military research.
I'm proud of the work that the Senators and I did to keep our National Guard force intact and, and, um, hard at work. And I will always be an advocate for our military and strengthening our military presence in Alaska to help secure the United States. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Begich.
[00:23:06] Nick Begich: No, we are the first line of defense for the rest of our nation.
We are the early warning defense location for the lower 48. And, uh, we have a strategic presence, um, in the Indo Pacific theater. It's crucially important that we continue to invest in our military presence, uh, in the state of Alaska. We need to make sure that we are fully funding. Uh, the military and the, the way in which this gets done traditionally in, in the House and Senate is through the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA.
It's a bill that has to pass every year and that's the opportunity that we, that we have to ensure that Alaska's needs are represented in the Congress. And I will work with my colleagues, that was the question, I will work with my colleagues in the House to ensure that Alaska. It has the resources that it needs, that it has the latest equipment, that it has the investment necessary in order to ensure that our nation remains safe and the people of Alaska remain safe.
[00:24:06] Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Pelota.
Mary Peltola: Oh, I answered it first.
Lisa Cassino: Yep, you did. Got a checkmark right there.
Mary Peltola: [00:24:11] I'm happy to go again. I have a lot of other things to say on this.
Lisa Cassino: Thanks for keeping me honest. Um, we're going to go back to our candidate-to-candidate questions. Um, Mr. Begich, you are going to now have the opportunity to ask your question first.
Again, to remind you, 30 seconds to ask, 90 seconds to answer. Go ahead, sir.
[00:24:30] Nick Begich: This is a debate to discuss business issues, and uh, Congresswoman Peltola, you've mentioned you'd like a seat on the Appropriations Committee, a committee that deals with expenses and cash flow of the United States government. So just a simple question, what are the differences between an income statement and a cash flow statement?
[00:24:48] Mary Peltola: An income statement is the income that you are getting. Cash flow is the cash flow that you're able to invest back into your business. Um, and I think that the point here is that I don't know a lot of business. Well, I grew up in small businesses. I grew up fishing. I grew up on a tender boat operation. My grandparents had small businesses.
I believe in the power of small businesses. No, I'm not a bookkeeper. I'm not an accountant. I've never said I was. I joke that I'm a typewriter, not a calculator. Um, but, I completely understand that small businesses are the economic engine of this state. More people work on small businesses. As an example, the fishing industry, it's the number one employer in Alaska.
Most of those are small businesses, either fishermen, fishing families, uh, tender operators. Processors. Um, Our, our whole, the whole fabric of our society is built upon small businesses. And that is where I learned my work ethic. It's, it was from getting up and working and being productive every day. And I am proud of my work ethic.
I work very hard and I will always work hard for small businesses. Because that really is the bread and butter of Alaska.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Uh, Mr. Begich, would you like to redress?
[00:26:07] Nick Begich: I would. So, uh, you know, an income statement doesn't include depreciation, or it includes depreciation and amortization. It's typically an accrual based, uh, form of accounting.
When you talk about a cash flow statement, it includes financing activities. Operating income, investment income, and cash flows. That's the difference, okay? And so when we're, we're determining how to make investment decisions in our nation, a lot of that's done on the Appropriations Committee.
[00:26:36] Lisa Cassino: Do you have a follow up question? No. No, okay. Thank you. Uh, Representative Peltola, you may now ask Mr. Begich a question. Uh, 30 seconds to ask.
[00:26:48] Mary Peltola: Okay, Nick, you have really made it clear that you admire the folks in the Freedom Caucus, that Jim Jordan is one of your heroes. He has never voted for the Farm Bill, which I find honestly un American.
The Freedom Caucus has done nothing but derail the United States and derail and have us on a, on the precipice of, of federal shutdowns at least every six months. This is a caucus that does not want the federal government. To be productive and making sure that our small businesses keep going, that our small airlines keep going.
I want to know how it is that you are balancing the objectives of the Freedom Caucus with the stability and security that small businesses in Alaska and, and our whole economy depend on in Alaska.
[00:27:39] Nick Begich: It's a great question. There's a number of caucuses in the Congress, uh, the Freedom Caucus is one of them.
Jim Jordan, among others in the Congress, whether they're in the Freedom Caucus or not, have rung the bell on excess government spending. And if you want to talk about a threat to our way of life in this country, that's what we're talking about. Try excess government spending. You know, the inflation that we've experienced under the Joe Biden economy, a president that you have supported in his, uh, tenure has been crippling for small businesses and for families.
And it's been caused strictly by a dramatic increase in the money supply. How did that happen? It happened because government was spending more money than it was taking in. And like that cashflow statement that we were just talking about, they were financing. That deficit by printing money, creating money, and shooting it through the economy, right?
Well, when you do that, and you don't increase the number of goods and services available in the economy, inflation is the natural result. There are people in the Congress who are telling you that. There are others who are not. Or don't understand it. Well, I can tell you, we are not going to have the American standard of living going forward if we lose the value of the United States dollar.
And that comes directly from the people who control the nation's purse strings, and that's the United States House.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Would you like to, um, redress?
[00:29:04] Mary Peltola: Back in October of last year, we had a three-week suspension of all business on both sides of the Congress. We were at a complete standstill because Matt Gaetz did a motion to vacate of Kevin McCarthy.
So we had no speaker for three weeks and we were at a complete deadlock. Marjorie Taylor Greene issued another motion to vacate a few months ago. I was very proud to vote no. I, you know I think we, we, we are not in a line to have anything but I'm proud. Well, I, I will work hard to make sure the federal government doesn't shut down.
We need the federal government.
Lisa Cassino: Mr. Begich, I'll allow you 45 seconds to close.
[00:29:47] Nick Begich: We do need the federal government, absolutely, and the federal government should not shut down. And, you know, what's going to happen is our way of life is going to shut down if we allow the federal government to continue to do the things that it's been doing.
I think it's important for us to call time out once in a while and say, hey, does the spending that we're incurring make sense? Should we put this on the national credit card? Should we make future generations pay for the decisions of today? Kodiak. And we were talking about the acceleration of disaster relief payments for fishing families, right?
Some of these, some of these, uh, businesses have been waiting six years to get paid. In the interim, we spent 200 billion in Ukraine. We have to put the people of our nation first.
[00:30:32] Lisa Cassino: Thank you. We're gonna move into our, uh, tourism related question here. Um, Mr. Begich, I've got you going first with a 60 second response.
Uh, the question is, Alaska's tourism industry is important to the state's economy, supporting thousands of jobs and businesses. As we look ahead, what policies or initiatives would you champion to ensure the continued growth of Alaska's tourism industry, particularly in light of shifting travel and economic uncertainties?
How will you work to improve infrastructure, access, and marketing efforts to attract more visitors to our great state?
[00:31:04] Nick Begich: I think one of the first things that we can do is continue to push for a waiver of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, the PBSA, because that, uh, that proved to be very effective during COVID as a mechanism to ensure that we maintained a robust tourism industry, and quite frankly, that waiver saved Southeast Alaska's tourism industry.
So, I think that's one thing that we can do to, to make sure that we have, um, that, that industry remains in the control of Alaskans. That's number one. Number two, we've got to do a, a better job of promoting Alaska's unique environment and, um, opportunities for tourism. I know that these have, these have Traditionally been restricted largely to Southeast Alaska, but Alaska offers a lot more and we've gotta do more to educate people about the opportunities for tourism in the interior, in other parts of coastal Alaska.
I think that's a great opportunity for us and it's a way for us to drive additional revenues for that part of the industry in the state.
Lisa Cassino: Representative Peltola, your thoughts?
[00:32:28] Mary Peltola: So one of the bills I've co sponsored, Co sponsored is the explore act to increase access to public lands and bolster our tourism industry. A lot of people are now putting on their bucket list visiting all of our national parks. I think we need to capitalize on that. And I do, I have opposed the, the no ship Saturday down in Juneau.
I think that that would have had cascading effects on a lot of other small businesses in Juneau. And I'm, I'm very thankful that that was rejected. Um, one of the best parts of this job is meeting all the folks from the lower 48 who've been here and have to tell me how excited they were and what town they went to.
Um, this really is a burgeoning field and I think this is, There's, uh, nothing but opportunities for the state of Alaska. When I came here when it was 40 below back in February, there was, uh, a number of people here to see the Northern Lights. I think that anything that we do in one part of the state does affect the other parts of the state.
If we did have a no ship Saturday in Juneau, that would affect the tourism operations in Fairbanks and in the interior. Thank you. Every time.
Lisa Cassino: Um, we're going to move into, so it's tough to get all your, uh, your, your comments in in 60 seconds. I applaud you both. Um, I'm struggling just reading the question over here, so, um, Representative Peltola, you'll have 60 seconds, um, and this is going to be on immigration reform.
Um, immigration reform is a critical piece to addressing the nation's workforce crisis. What policies would you advocate for to support needed immigration reform and other workforce development efforts?
[00:34:02] Mary Peltola: We do need immigration reform, and we, we have seen this. I, I don't think that this is necessarily an Alaskan problem.
This is definitely a, a lower 48 problem, especially along our border. And where we're really seeing the negative impacts is in the fentanyl, um, importation and distribution. Every town in Alaska has a, has seen fentanyl, and this is a real, real problem. We need to make sure that we're beefing up our security.
I did vote for increased security at the border. I think that any immigration should be legal and go through a very, um, extensive and robust process to make sure that these are, these, uh, immigrants are, um, not a threat. But, if you look at Alaska, even Subway Sandwiches needed 40 J 1 visas for the winter months.
Alaska is desperate for, for workers and, and if, and, and we have an out migration problem in Alaska. We've had an out migration problem in Alaska for over 10 years. Um, not only are people moving, but not enough people are moving to Alaska. These are the things that I want to work on.
Lisa Cassino: Mr. Begich?
[00:35:09] Nick Begich: Well, look, at the end of the day, Mary Peltola tells you she voted, uh, to secure the border, but she voted against the Secure the Border Act of 2023, HR 2. That's the truth. I'm going to talk about the truth. That's the truth. Now, uh, we have to make sure that the people coming into our country are here legally, that they're not, uh, consuming the resources of the taxpayer. Right now we have upwards of 20 million people in our nation illegally that are consuming resources for free travel, free food, free education, free healthcare, and let me tell you, it's not free. You talk about those deficits that we're accruing, in part it's because we've let all these people in from around the world. Now, we do need a healthy immigration system, and I am 100 percent supportive of legal immigration, and I think that that helps our workforce, it supplements our workforce, and it's the story of America.
But we've got to make sure that it's, that it's right, that it's legal, and the people coming here are going to be contributing, uh, to our society.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, we're going to go to, um, an issue that is impacting many, many businesses and homes, and that is childcare. Um, Alaska recently passed SB 189, which included tax credits to businesses contributing to childcare services and facilities, and 7.5 million for childcare center grants. But more is definitely needed to address the challenge, um, not even here in Alaska, but nationwide. What role should the federal government play in addressing the child care shortage, and how would you ensure that both states and businesses have the support they need to provide affordable, accessible child care options for working families?
Mr. Begich, you're first.
[00:36:50] Nick Begich: Well, I think we need to, we need to increase significantly the child care tax credit. I think it's so important that, uh, working families have the ability, uh, to cover, uh, As a father, I will tell you I was surprised when I first learned the cost of child care. And if you're a parent in this room or you know parents, you know that it is very very expensive.
We also need to make sure that we invest in workforce development so that we have those people available to provide child care. You know how difficult it can be. Oftentimes, you're on a wait list before you can even find a job. Good quality child care. So not only are you spending a lot of money, but you're waiting to even have the opportunity to have child care.
So specifically in Alaska, it's a major issue. I think investments in workforce development and increasing the child care tax credit will allow more people to access the child care that they need in order to return to work.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Peltola.
[00:38:07] Mary Peltola: Thank you. 77% of Alaska parents have reported missing work because of child care challenges. This is a workforce issue. Um, more should be done to directly fund child care centers and small child care businesses that are the backbone of the entire industry.
I've brought millions of dollars to build new child care facilities in the State. I'm excited to see the Coast Guard down in Kodiak improving their childcare facility. I've co-sponsored legislation to support the recruitment and retention of paraprofessionals at the preschool level and in public elementary schools and secondary schools.
It's why I'm also a firm believer in universal pre k and we need a robust Tax care credit to incentivize employer contributions to child care services. Most employers say that child care is the biggest impediment to people, um, and housing, of course, is as well to people moving to Alaska, moving to small communities to take these important jobs.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Uh, Representative Peltola, we're going to go back to you to answer first if you guys are like picking up on the trend here. Um, Alaska's relationship with the federal government is critical, particularly regarding land management, resource development, and environmental regulations. Recent efforts, uh, by the BLM to further restrict resource development in the NPRA Um, highlight the ongoing conflicts with questionable federal rulemaking.
How do you plan to advocate for Alaska's interest in Washington, D. C., ensuring that federal policies that include public access and Alaska's need for responsible resource development and economic growth?
[00:39:42] Mary Peltola: Now, this is something I'm very happy, happy to work on, and, and I think it's important to have a trusted messenger there.
And I think it's important to have somebody who can speak, um, from a personal perspective about the interest that Alaska Natives have in seeing resource development. Tribes are often used as a cudgel to make sure that resource development doesn't go forward. Many, many, many Alaska Natives, many Alaska Native corporations are very invested in making sure that we have resource development on properties like NPRA, um, this is something I championed.
I joined the amicus reef. It's called the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska for a reason. It's not a protected area. This NPRA was set aside for development. It started out as a naval. Um, uh, Petroleum Reserve and now it's the National Petroleum Reserve. This has been set aside for times like this when we need as much energy as we can get and as affordably as we can get it and done in America where it's done best.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Mr. Begich?
[00:40:50] Nick Begich: Well, I'll tell you what. I've already started. I've, I've had conversations with President Trump about this. I've had conversations with Speaker Mike Johnson, with Steve Scalise, with Tom Emmer. This is House leadership. And we have had discussions about how we are going to work together to ensure that Joe Biden's executive orders, now we're up to 67 executive orders targeting Alaska specifically, are not only going to be reversed under the next administration, but we will have the right to produce our resources locked in law through congressional action.
This is something that the House leadership has committed to do. With me. In the next Congress. And this is, this is a commitment that I've gotten from my leadership. My opponent has not gotten this commitment from her leadership. Her ability to move these priorities forward is limited by the fact that she's in the Democrat caucus supporting Hakeem Jeffries.
He has been opposed to development in Alaska. My team is for it. And they are already working together with me to ensure that it gets done.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, our next question will begin with, uh, a response from Mr. Begich. Uh, health insurance costs in Alaska are among the highest in the world, creating significant barriers for individuals and small businesses.
Many Alaskans struggle with finding affordable coverage, and small businesses face challenges in providing health insurance to their employees. If elected, what specific steps would you take to address the high cost of health insurance in Alaska, and how would you work to improve access to affordable, comprehensive coverage for all Alaskans?
[00:42:22] Nick Begich: Well, I think it's so important that we ensure that, um, that we have more providers. I think that's one of the challenges, particularly among specialties in Alaska. We don't have enough specialist providers, and so that drives the cost higher. And so we need greater competition. We need more access to, uh, other alternatives like telemedicine.
We need to break down the barriers so that we can insure across states, state lines. That will help us tremendously. We know for years we've suffered with very few insurance providers and that lack of competitive environment creates a higher premium level. I also support programs like, uh, like, like co op discount code programs that we've seen emerge that provide opportunities.
Uh, for people to enjoy the, the discounts available through, uh, health insurance. That can be a great alternative to cash payments and for those who, uh, choose not to be insured or are not insured, those programs are important to, to grow and retain as well.
[00:43:23] Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Representative Peltola.
[00:43:26] Mary Peltola: Health insurance is, is, is a struggle for most families and we should not be living in, in the, the most prosperous country in the world and the most prosperous country in our nation, um, and, and under the threat of one medical procedure making, making you go homeless.
Um, this is a, a real threat. One of the things that I'm interested in seeing and one of the things that this Congress is working on is removing the, um, the power and the ability of the middlemen in pharmaceutical pricing to drive up the price. They are getting kickbacks on increased prices in pharmaceuticals.
This is something that, um, we are working on actively. We do need more providers in Alaska. Every single town in Alaska is short on providers. And this is impacting people who are on Medicare and Medicaid. Um, a lot of, um, Uh, private doctors will not take Medicare and Medicaid, um, folks because the paperwork is just too cumbersome.
We've got to have, um, uh, enough providers and affordable care where one toothache doesn't Thank you. Okay,
[00:44:32] Lisa Cassino: Um, Representative Patola, this, uh, question is going to be for you only. Um, it's a 60-second answer, and it says you sponsored legislation supporting mining projects in Alaska, but also introduced, uh, legislation codifying a preemptive veto of the Pebble Project.
Alaska has vast critical and essential mineral resources positioning the state to meet societal and national security demands. However, many Alaskans feel that the regulatory barriers and outside influences have hindered the development of our mineral potential. Can you clarify your stance on mining in Alaska and explain how you plan to help advance much needed mineral projects while balancing, again, the environmental and community concerns?
60 seconds.
[00:45:16] Mary Peltola: Thank you, Lisa. I worked in the mining industry for six years and it was a very, very good field to be in. The mining safety culture was Uh, that we, we had a lot of folks from villages come in and work on this project, and they exported that safety culture back out into the field. I think that mining is a very important piece of our economic portfolio.
It's an important piece of making sure that we have national security. I am working on permitting. This is another thing that I think we can get done during the lame duck. Um, Celeste Malloy and I have been working on, um, rulemaking, um, permit by rule. We've been working on taking out the cumbersome, um, timelines and, um, the, the threat of litigation within the NEPA process, the NEPA process.
Everyone in this room knows NEPA does not work well in Alaska. It takes twice as long for Alaskan projects to go forward. This is the number one obstacle even for renewable energy projects is, um, this terrible permitting thing. Thank you. Thank you. System we have.
Lisa Cassino: Um, Mr. Begich, the presidential race, this is just for you, uh, the presidential race is literally in a dead heat.
Uh, we heard that yesterday from a few of the pollsters here. If we end up with President Harris, how will you reach across the aisle and work with Democrats to ensure Alaska's concerns and interests are represented?
[00:46:41] Nick Begich: Well, I think it comes with, uh, ensuring that you've got a, you've got a strong, um, barrier there.
And I think we know we're going to get the Senate back. And so if we were to have Uh, President Harris, which we won't, but if we did, um, we will have a, a, a stop, a stopgap, a protection for the rest of the country. What she has said her entire career is that she is opposed to traditional energy development, whether that's oil or gas or coal, she's opposed to it.
And she has said on the record she's opposed to fracking, she wants to see this end, she wants to see a full, immediate transition over to alternative energy sources, and that's going to kill Alaska's economy. So I think it's important that we stand up to her. I don't think there's a lot of areas when you take a bold position like she has opposing traditional energy, there's not a lot of overlap.
And I think anything that you do to work with her on those issues is only going to compromise our ability to produce. I think the best thing you can do in the House and the Senate is to stop her from seeing her vision implemented.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, Representative Peltola, back to you. Um, as advancement in artificial intelligence, um, continue to accelerate, there are growing concerns about its impact on jobs, privacy, and even government decision making.
Um, while AI presents opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it definitely also raises some significant challenges. If elected, how would you ensure it benefits the economy while addressing concerns about job displacement, data security, and ethical use? 60 seconds.
[00:48:11] Mary Peltola: Okay, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on AI, and I do think that the emergence of AI technologies does have the potential to spawn incredible innovation, but it could also really radically alter our economy negatively.
I think a lot of us are very worried about, um, uh, The possibility of our jobs being impacted by AI, AI needs to be carefully studied and managed in a way that provides essential safeguards and allows us to gain the most positive results. There are a lot of positive applications, things like erosion, um, other things.
But I, I worry about AI just like I worry about, uh, the algorithms that are being used in, in, in social media. I, I have a lot of concerns about facial recognition. Um, we, we have seen things go sideways with facial recognition that nobody could have anticipated. And I think AI presents a lot of the same unanticipated, unintended negative consequences.
Lisa Cassino Thank you. Mr. Begich.
[00:49:08] Nick Begich: So I've spent my career in technology. I also have a number of concerns about artificial intelligence, but I will tell you, this is, this is what we call a disruptor and it is a major disruptor. Uh, we're seeing applications across industries that people initially would never have envisioned.
Uh, and I think we're going to continue to see that. The latest, uh, AI models illustrate that AI can now pass medical exams. It can pass, uh, law exams. You know, this is going to be displacing a lot of workers, and I think we've got to take some steps to make sure that the guardrails for this technology are put into place.
I think, um, you know, one, one interesting application for AI might be Congress, because I think it's probably smarter than most of the people down there in D. C., but, um, irrespective of that, I do think it's important that, that Congress put protective guardrails on artificial intelligence. Um, once we achieve what's called AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence.
The cat's out of the bag. It's it's a It's a dangerous technology, if not properly managed and contained. And I think we need to do that.
[Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, let's see. Our next question is, um, I'm going to begin with Mr. Begich, uh, with the recent appointment of Dr. Sprague as the first ambassador at large for Arctic Affairs, um, there is a renewed focus on the strategic importance, uh, for Alaska, for the Arctic, and for both economic and national security.
Um, as the U. S. seeks to strengthen its leadership in the region, what specific policies would you advocate for to enhance Arctic infrastructure, uh, protect U. S. interests, and promote economic opportunities? Chris. I
[00:50:46] Nick Begich: think it's so important for Arctic Nations to be working together collaboratively and to keep that door of communication open.
I'm encouraged to see that he was finally appointed by the Senate and confirmed, but I think that it is, um, It's crucial that we are talking to one another, right? We have a lot of competing economic interests. We're seeing Russia and China working together now off of Alaska's coast. From a military perspective, that is highly concerning.
There's been a deployment out on the chain, uh, of service members. To, to demonstrate our commitment to securing our own border out there, right? And so I think it's really important that we're working together, that we're keeping those lines of communication open, that we're investing in defense strategies, and that we have a harmonized set of regulations as we're, as we're dealing with transport through these corridors, or mineral development, or oil and gas development.
It's so important that we're working from the same songbook, and I think that that's a role that the State Department, uh, needs to assert.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Uh, Representative Peltola.
[00:51:46] Mary Peltola: Thank you. Alaska, Alaska makes the U. S. an Arctic nation. And The Arctic is the new epicenter of national security and Alaska is, is the epicenter of that national security in the Arctic.
Um, again, I'm, I'm very pleased that Mike Svega, I think a lot of you in Fairbanks know him because he's from UAF. Shout out to UAF for our, our new, uh, National Arctic Ambassador. We're all seeing very aggressive moves by Russia and China in our waters. One of the bills I put forward is ensuring that the Coast Guard Commandant gets a seat at the table with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
We don't have a significant naval presence in Alaska. We have a Coast Guard presence in Alaska. It's the Coast Guard that's seeing the, the warships that China and Russia are using and they're in formation in our waters. Um, the Arctic and the Pacific. Is where it is going to, this is going to be the center of the universe going forward and we're right in the middle of it and I'll always, uh, advocate for infrastructure, military, um, improvements to, to our Arctic situation. And our Arctic position.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you.
Um, well I'm going to just go off script for a little bit because I, I have the microphone. Um, how many candidates do we have, um, or elected officials do we have in the room here with us? If you would just stand, um, on the local, state, and federal level. Um, this leads into my next question.
I want to thank you all for being here. Um, appreciate your service to our state.
You know, campaigning. I would not want to do it personally. Um, I feel like it is long days. It's tough questions. Um, there's a lot at stake, but, um, I think it's really important that we remember, um, that we are not AI robots up here and that we are all human. Um, and we have passions, we have perspective and, um, and we have feelings.
Um, and so, I would like to ask each of you, um, to share one nice thing about your opponents. A quality maybe you admire about them, um, something they've accomplished. Maybe it's a fantastic tie or amazing extra tough boots. Um, but I would like to hear just a compliment or something nice that you guys can share about each other.
And, uh, Mr. Begich, I'm going to allow you to go first.
[00:54:04] Nick Begich: Well, I, I want to compliment Mary Peltola on her commitment to fish. I think that she has made that clear from day one that she is committed to it and she's made that her passion issue and I think that she deserves credit for working hard on that issue in DC. I know we've got differences on that. That doesn't detract from her effort and, uh, and I think that she's done a good job in making the case that we need to do better in our fisheries.
[00:54:30] Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Ms. Peltola.
[00:54:32] Mary Peltola: The thing I love the most about Nick Begich is his grandma Peggy Begich. Uh, she's a wonderful lady.
Um, and, and I do appreciate your commitment to our economy, your expertise in the business realm. Um, I think that that is, uh, really important. Really good. I think that you are very committed to continuing to run for this seat and that has shown a lot of grit and tenacity and you have a beautiful wife and a really wonderful son and I think that you're a family man.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Thank you. I, I love that.
It's, uh, it is refreshing to see that even in times of campaigning that, um, that we can remember that we, um, we are all here and we are trying to all do our best for the state of Alaska and for our family and our friends and for the businesses that make, um, living here really fantastic. So, um, we're gonna, we are right on time, um, and, uh, we're gonna wrap things up.
I'm gonna give you both 90 seconds. Um, to answer our closing question, and we're going to go in reverse order in which we started. So, Representative Peltola, you're going to begin. Um, so, tell us, given your experience and knowledge, what sets you apart from your opponent, and why should voters cast their vote for you?
[00:55:52] Mary Peltola: So, I'm appreciative to the Chamber of Commerce and all your partner organizations who put this forum on together. Uh, I think one of the things that sets me apart is that I bring a bipartisan element to the debate. To our delegation. I think that it's important. Um, I am very happy to, to explain to people in my caucus why guns and ammunition are very important in Alaska.
Why we need to make sure that we maintain and protect Adequate access to the guns and ammunition that we rely on and that hunting is an act of love. This is not something that you're going to find any other member of Congress talking about. And that's something that I uniquely can bring to Congress. I am all about getting things done.
I'm all about deliverables. We've delivered on Willow. We've delivered on the largest energy grid resilience, the largest renewable energy project. We have So many pieces of, um, legislation. We've, we've gotten tremendous wins out of this Congress, which has been the, characterized as the least productive since the Civil War.
Um, my role is a force of stability. It's a force of moderation. Someone who can work across the aisle to get things done. I'm a member of the Western Caucus, which is a hundred and six Republicans and me. Um, I have an ability to build coalitions. The coalition that was for Willow was the coalition that got me elected.
I have, um, ten years of experience in the legislature. I have six years of experience in the mining sector.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, 90 seconds to you, sir.
[00:57:32] Nick Begich: Well, I think, uh, one of the things that sets me apart is I've, I've got a, a great deal of business experience, particularly among, uh, the small businesses and the small business sector.
I'm a small business investor. I've helped hundreds of businesses around the country, uh, to start up and, uh, given them coaching and advice and guidance on how to find customers, how to build a product, how to raise money and get, and get a small company turned into something that scales. And I think that it's important that in the Congress, we've got to have people.
That represent the, the portfolio of people in America, right? And that portfolio of people in America are not just lawyers and they're not just people who come from government. They're people who come from the business, uh, and private sector industries. And so that's what I bring to the table. I think I bring that perspective to the table.
I want to see more entrepreneurship in our state. I want to see more innovation in our state. I believe that our state motto, North to the Future, has a purpose. And that purpose is to provide opportunity to us and to our kids and to our grandkids. And we are failing to deliver on that purpose right now.
Twelve years of declining population. Year over year, we see more people leave. And a lot of the people that are leaving are young people, who don't see the opportunities here in Alaska that they see in the lower 48. We've got to do better. I want to do better for you. That's why I'm running. I want to see Alaska prosper, and grow, and be successful.
And I believe I can do that in the Congress. Regardless of who you're voting for, be sure to vote on November 5th, and take somebody that you know to the polls.
Lisa Cassino: Thank you. Um, and uh, would you all please join me in a round of applause for our candidates here today.