Congressman Begich on House Passage of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 22, 2025 – Congressman Nick Begich (R-AK) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that includes historic measures to unleash American energy and restore economic leadership anchored by provisions critical to Alaska’s future:

“Today, the House took an historic step to restore American strength by passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which represents one of the most consequential energy and infrastructure packages in modern history. This legislation will help reduce our deficit by creating jobs and setting a course for energy dominance driven by American innovation and American resources.

For Alaska, this bill delivers long-overdue recognition of our state’s indispensable role in fueling the nation’s prosperity. It mandates six offshore lease sales in Cook Inlet over the next decade, with a 90/10 revenue split that returns more value to our state. It revives leasing and development in the 1002 Area, ensuring permitting certainty, streamlining judicial review, and securing Alaska’s fair share of revenues starting at 50% and rising to 90% by 2035.

In addition, this bill raises revenue by reforming arcane processes that have stalled projects across Alaska. By setting firm deadlines for environmental reviews, creating sponsor-funded review pathways, and shielding finalized reviews from endless litigation, this legislation will accelerate important federal revenue that supports high-paying America First jobs.

Our timber industry will also benefit from a mandated 25% increase in harvests on federal lands supporting additional federal revenue that also unlocks economic activity in Southeast Alaska and beyond, while $2.5 billion in funding for surface water storage and conveyance infrastructure has the potential to be transformative for remote communities and development corridors.

These are historic wins. We are unlocking opportunities, generating revenue, and reasserting America’s resource strategy. The One Big Beautiful Bill moves us forward and lays a strong foundation to unlock Alaska’s extraordinary potential. The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers for Alaskans with lower taxes, no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, and a renewed commitment to develop our resources for the benefit of all Americans, all while protecting our most vulnerable. This bill is landmark for our state and nation and delivers on promises made.”