Begich started to answer questions about the mass firing of federal workers and President Donald Trump’s executive orders even before he took the podium.
“We recognize we have too much debt. So, we have to stop this process from continuing and that means we have to go through and make some difficult choices about where we choose to spend the taxpayer dollar.”
Begich spoke to the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Contractors who are concerned about frozen federal spending told him they might miss the 2025 construction season if they could not make hires now. He told reporters that Alaskans need to give him details.
“I need individual details because in order to go to the departments and drill down with them on the things that are mission critical in Alaska, I've got to be able to come to them with a case as to why that is. And so what I've encouraged folks, if they're concerned about a specific program, if they're concerned about a specific position, come to us with those details and help us make that case for you with that appropriate federal department.”
He made that point several times during his address and Q&A period.
But he told his audience he supports the president’s priorities that are being rolled out nationally,
“…and I recognize that the political velocity is unlike anything we've probably seen in quite some time.”
And he made his point about the federal debt several times.
He said that’s why trimming back federal spending is important, and it would serve Alaska to replace federal contracts and grants with private sector resource development and extraction industries.
“We know full well just how dependent Alaska is on federal funding. This is not a surprise to people in this room. You fully recognize that. It's also a huge concentration risk that we have as a state to be so federally dependent.”
With the military one of the largest employers, Alaska also has the largest chunks of federal land that various agencies manage. About 5% of the workforce here works for the federal government across many departments. Alaska has the largest per-capita ratio of non-profit organizations, whose budgets are bolstered on federal grants. University and private sector research also receives money from the Department of Defense, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation, to name just a few.
“And so we're at a point right now where trimming government and finding efficiencies, finding waste, finding fraud and abuse of the system is a top priority for people in the Congress.”
Begich also talked about reducing energy costs in Alaska by building a natural gas pipeline, reducing health care costs in Alaska by reigning in advertising of pharmaceutical companies, reducing EPA regulations on home heating devices.
“I recognize fully the need for clean air, right? I think we can all agree we want to breathe clean air, but we also need to recognize that the rules that have been handed down are hampering our ability, uh, to thrive in the Interior.”
He talked about Alaska’s strategic military importance in the Pacific and Arctic, the importance of Alaska’s minerals to the country’s wealth, and how he’s ready to renew the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Begich will be addressing the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, and that will be carried by KUAC-FM.
