Sullivan, in barnburner floor speech, slams Biden for his anti-Alaska policies

By
Suzanne Downing
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102

Sen. Dan Sullivan spent a full half hour on the floor of the Senate giving President Joe Biden a piece of his mind. In a speech titled “Joe Biden’s Anti-Alaska Agenda,” he also called out New Mexico Senior Sen. Martin Trevor Heinrich for acting against Alaska’s energy economy, while New Mexico is a leading oil producing state that has suffered no economic sanctions from the Biden Administration.

After his speech, Heinrich approached Sullivan on the Senate floor and the two had a heated exchange.

The transcript of his speech follows this YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRDzzoG8hxc

Speech transcript follows:

Madam President, today, I wanted to rise on the Senate floor and talk about a topic of utmost importance to my State, the great people I have the privilege of representing, and what the Biden administration is doing to good, hard‑working American families in Alaska. It is what I call the “anti‑Alaska agenda,” or the Biden administration’s war on working families.

I know that Americans all across the country have felt pain—economic pain, health pain, unfortunately, too many deaths as a result of the pandemic. Right now, we are seeing high energy prices and empty shelves. There has been a lot of suffering in America. We are a resilient people, however. 

My State, like many, has been hit very hard by the pandemic, particularly economically—our energy sector, our fishing sector, our tourism sector. And as we are coming out of this pandemic and everybody is trying to work together—we all want growth and opportunity in America—we have now been hit with this.

This administration has issued, in its first 9 months in office, 20 Executive orders or Executive actions solely focused on Alaska. I came down to the floor 2 weeks ago to talk about this. It was 19 then. You wait a week or two with the Biden administration in Alaska, and it is up to 20. I am sure they have a lot more ready to go. Twenty. There is no State in America that is getting this kind of attention from the Biden administration, and we don’t want it.  

What I am going to be continuing to ask my Senate colleagues to do—and I am going to start with the President of the United States, who was a U.S. Senator for many years, decades—put yourself in the shoes of the people I represent.  

Let’s imagine that a Republican administration comes into office and issues 20 Executive orders or Executive actions focused on Delaware—tiny, little Delaware. The Senators from Delaware, including the former Senator, now‑President, would be down on the floor of the U.S. Senate raising Cain, raising heck—I don’t think I am allowed to swear here—because of this, because they want to stick up for the people they represent. Imagine that.  

These Executive orders and actions are not some kind of simple abstractions; they are 20 orders and actions that go to the heart of what Alaskans do in terms of our economy: work, keeping food on the table, keeping lights on in their homes, paying the mortgage, keeping their kids in college, keeping their cultures thriving, keeping our communities from crumbling, particularly in rural Alaska. Some of the poorest communities in America are where this administration is targeting the people I represent.  

Very few people in my State—Democrat, Republican, Native, non‑Native—support this war against Alaska. This is not a partisan issue back home, and here is why: because real people, real families, real communities are being hurt—your fellow Americans. It has got to stop.

I have demanded a meeting with the President and his team to just walk him through this. Mr. President, do you know what you are doing to one of your States that you are sworn to defend?  

These orders threaten the well‑being of my entire State, but they particularly threaten the people who live in rural Alaska, who are dependent on the land and natural resources for so much of their economy, so much of their tax base.

Here is the thing. I know what some of my colleagues or those who are watching are saying: Oh, it is just resource development issues in Alaska. Well, I will talk about that. It is some of that, but it is not just resource development issues that are happening here. Let me give you one that really burns me up.

We had a bipartisan bill last year, last Congress, to provide what you will now call racial justice, racial equity, to Alaskan Native Vietnam veterans who served their country when most Americans were avoiding service and missed out, because they were overseas fighting for their nation, on the opportunity to apply for what is called a land allotment. There was a deadline that happened, a complete injustice.

Native Vietnam veterans coming home, not treated well because they are Native, not treated well because they are Vietnam veterans, and then told: “Oh, by the way, the land you were supposed to get, you don’t qualify.”

So we got a bill passed to say that is an injustice. The previous administration signed it. They were implementing it. And when this administration came into office, the number one issue I asked Secretary Haaland to commit to was to finish getting the Executive order out on these land allotments, to implement this bipartisan bill, because these Native Vietnam veterans aren’t living that long.

The administration delayed it for 2 years. Why? It has nothing do to with oil and gas or mining. Why? These Vietnam vets, many aren’t going to live for 2 more years. They did it anyway. 

That is one of 20. Let me give you another one.

We have had, down in Southeast Alaska, the issue of the Tongass—that is the largest national forest in the country. Every elected official—Governor, Senator, Democrat, Republican—in Alaska, the last 30 years, has pressed with the Roadless Rule, an exemption to the Roadless Rule, so we can have an economy there; roads for Southeast communities. Every elected Governor or U.S. Senator, didn’t matter the party, that is how important this was. We were able to get an exemption in the last administration. I appreciate what President Trump did on that.

This administration comes in, and they reverse it. One of the 20. Guess how we, the Alaska delegation, found out about that reversal. A front‑page story in the Washington Post. The Secretary of Agriculture wanted to brief the Washington Post and all of the extreme environmental groups who wanted this before they let the people of Alaska or their representatives know. These are the examples.

And, yes, the list also includes resource development projects. But here is the thing on that—I have a folder full of letters. These are letters from the elected leaders, Tribal leaders, borough leaders, Alaska Native Corp. leaders, Native leaders in my State—dozens of letters. Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation, Native village of Kaktovik—that is a Tribe, City of Utqiagvik, City of Atqasuk, City of Wainwright, Inupiaq Community of the Arctic Slope—that is another Tribe, the Voice of the Inupiat Arctic. These are all Alaskan Native leaders who live on the North Slope, some of whom live in the Arctic National Wildlife area. Every single one of these great leaders in my State, every one, was writing, even begging, this administration not to do this—not to do this. And they ignored them.

This is a letter from Edward Rexford. He is the President of the Native Village of Kaktovik. He wrote to Secretary Deb Haaland after she suspended oil and gas leases in ANWR, which we passed. What the Secretary did, in my view, was clearly illegal.

Edward Rexford wrote: “You have changed our future with one stroke of a pen without any explanation or consultation with us—the tribe that lives within the Coastal Plain.”

His village, Kaktovik, is the only village within the coastal area of ANWR. That is it. There is no group of Americans who should have a greater voice in the development of this area than them. But they didn’t even get a phone call—not a phone call, not a consultation, Tribal consultation, which is required by law—none of it.

That is all part of the 20 Executive orders and actions that I said are hurting people, hurting communities, hurting families, hurting Native cultures.

I will tell you this: The Biden administration loves to talk about how they are committed to environmental justice and racial equity, but it is with a caveat.

Here is the reality: They want to help unserved minority populations around the country. And I think this is a good goal, but it comes with a caveat: unless, of course, they are indigenous people of Alaska. Then the Biden administration targets them.

Look at this folder. These are communities of color in my State, and all they do is get targeted, not helped; targeted, their economic opportunity. And then the things that most Americans take for granted that don’t exist in these communities—clinics, flushed toilets, gymnasiums—all of that comes with economic opportunity. And when you shut it down, you are really hurting indigenous people in some of the most impoverished communities in the country. But I guess they seem OK with that.

I want all of my Senate colleagues to do just a quick thought experiment. Imagine what it would be like, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican—but just think about it: You are a Democrat and a Republican administration comes in or you are a Republican and a Democrat administration comes in and changes the future of your State with a stroke of a pen, as Edward Rexford said, for the people you represent. Imagine an administration coming in with 20 Executive orders in 8 months, shutting down your economy as you are trying to get out of a pandemic. 

Every Senator here would be mad. And the one thing I very much enjoy about serving in this body is we are a collegial body. We have our differences, but I certainly have friends on both sides of the aisle. I try to work with everybody, try to be respectful with everybody. The Presiding Officer and I chaired committees together, worked together on a lot of things. 

And here is the thing. If a Republican administration came into power and targeted one of my colleague’s States with 20 Executive orders in 8 months and whoever it was came to me and said: “Hey, Dan, you know this is unfair. My constituents are really being attacked, really being hurt. Could you reach out to the Republican administration and say: ‘Hey, come on. Tone it down. Geez, Louise, 20 Executive orders in one State?’” I would help, and I think almost every Senator here would help. That is what we do here. 

And I want to say that some of my Democratic colleagues here, when I have talked about this, when I have told them about this, when I have spoken about this, a number of them have come to me and said: “Hey, Dan, give me the list. Give me the list of 20. Maybe I can’t help you on every one of them, all of them. Maybe there are some I actually like. But I do want to try and help.” That is what has happened. That is what makes this body a good place. To those Senators, I really want to thank you. And I am going to ask for your help because I would do it for you. 

And this is unacceptable. Tens of thousands of people I represent are being hurt by the federal government, by the President and his White House. So I appreciate that from my colleagues. And this is, in general, how this body works. It makes this a special place.

But I will say this. Not all Senators have been so gracious and senatorial and collegial. To the contrary, a few of my colleagues are helping lead the charge in the war on Alaska’s working families. They seem to be putting a ton of effort into it themselves. I am not sure why, but they spend a lot of their time and energy focused on doing this: shutting down the Alaska economy, hurting working families, and ridiculously and absurdly, acting as if they speak for the very people I am privileged to represent, as if they don’t have enough to do in terms of helping their own constituents.

So I am going to make an example and give an example of one. The leader of this small group is the senior Senator from New Mexico. Here is a sampling—three letters in the last year and a half he has written, signed, or led, focusing on shutting down Alaska’s economy and hurting the great people I have the privilege of representing. 

Two of these letters deal with the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—controversial, no doubt. In 2017, we voted to provide the opportunity for development in that small area, what we call the 1002 Area. The President signed it. It came into law. 

Now, I know most of my colleagues on the Democratic side didn’t agree with that. We have legislation we don’t agree with. I accept that. I am still very good friends with so many. 

But, afterward, the senior Senator from New Mexico led letters to all of the top banks in America and all of the top insurance and financial institutions in America and didn’t just say don’t invest in ANWR but said “don’t invest in any oil and gas development project in the Arctic.” 

What is that, the Arctic of America? That is my State. 

So now you have, as opposed to collegiality, a small group, led by this Senator, writing the biggest banks in America, the biggest financial institutions in America, trying to muscle them, saying: Don’t invest anything in Alaska.  

That is not what this body is all about. I would never do that to a colleague. I would never write all the banks of America and say: Don’t invest in poor communities, Native communities in New Mexico or in the New Mexico oil and gas industry. I wouldn’t do that. 

Who does that? Well, unfortunately, a few—not many, a few—Senators are doing that. 

Absurdly, this Senator had the audacity, in one of his letters, to try to speak for the people I represent. He put in the letter: The people dependent on the Arctic Refuge don’t want you to invest there. 

That is patently absurd. Just read the letters from all of the people who actually live there, all of the people who live there, who overwhelmingly want opportunities for oil and gas development and for jobs and economic opportunity.

You would think, with all of New Mexico’s problems, this Senator would focus on his own constituents.

So I reached out to him and the few others who wrote these letters. I have reached out. I wrote my own letter to them saying: “Hey, I was disappointed to see you do that. Why didn’t you come talk to me? I wouldn’t do that to you. And, by the way, what you are doing is really going to hurt my constituents.”

This is a letter I wrote to this Senator and a few others: I would appreciate the courtesy of talking about this before you go do it. You clearly don’t understand the indigenous communities that I represent. I even provided a Wall Street Journal op‑ed from the mayor of the North Slope Borough, Harry Brower, the Inupiaq mayor, who had a lot to say to the banks who weren’t going to invest in his community. 

But I got no response. To the contrary, just a few months ago, this same Senator led a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, asking her to shut down a very important energy development in Alaska called the Willow Project. This is that letter—just about 4 months ago.

Let me talk about the Willow Project. The Willow Project is not in a controversial area; it is in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska, set aside by Congress decades ago for oil and gas development. Every Native group in Alaska supports this project, all the unions do. 2,000 direct jobs, billions in revenues for some of the poorest communities in America, and the lowest emissions of any major oil and gas development project in America.  

This is a huge win‑win‑win for everybody—not even controversial. Yet the senior Senator from New Mexico wrote Deb Haaland saying: “Shut down the Willow Project in Alaska.” 

Why is he doing this, literally trying to kill thousands of Alaska jobs and impoverish Alaska Native communities?

Do the people in New Mexico know that their senior Senator spends so much time trying to give Alaska oil and gas workers pink slips and impoverish Native communities? I wonder. I wonder.  

I thought, for just a moment, maybe I should do something against New Mexico, but then I was like: “No. You know what, that is not my style. I wouldn’t want to hurt New Mexico oil and gas workers or Native communities. They are all great Americans, I am sure. We are a great country. I wouldn’t want to target them the way this Senator is targeting my State, trying to hurt thousands of Alaskan working families.”

And it should be emphasized, and I want to emphasize, that is not how we work here. That is not what I have seen in my almost seven years in the U.S. Senate, Senators trying to attack other Senators’ States, specifically focusing on hurting working families. 

The vast majority of the Senators I know wouldn’t do that at all. That is not how business is conducted here in the U.S. Senate. To the contrary, most of us generally try to help each other. We don’t always agree; that is for sure. But, particularly when States have unique challenges that could hurt their citizens, when my colleagues would come to me and say, “Hey, Dan, can you help out on this,” I usually try to help. But I certainly don’t go on offense and try to hurt like this administration is doing and the senior Senator from New Mexico.

But I thought the better course to fight back—because I am going to fight back, OK. I am going to fight back. These are my constituents who are hurting. The better course to fight back against these attacks on Alaskan working families was not to try to hurt New Mexicans, but just to show this, the rank hypocrisy of what the senior Senator is actually doing and saying.

One of his main reasons, in this latest letter, to shut down Alaska, in trying to deny Federal permits for the Willow oil and gas project, is to “achieve climate goals.” OK? That is in his letter to Deb Haaland.

But if you do just a little digging, this Senator seems fine with trying to achieve these goals on the backs of Alaskan workers and Alaska Natives but not on his own constituents, not on the backs of his own constituents—to the contrary.  

Guess which State in America has gotten way more Federal oil and gas drilling permits than any other State in the country. Guess which one. It is certainly not Alaska. It happens to be New Mexico. It just so happens to be New Mexico.

Guess where the Secretary of the Interior is from. New Mexico. Hmm. Is that a coincidence? I wonder, in their frequent phone calls, when they talk about concerns of climate and shutting down oil and gas in Alaska, if shutting down oil and gas in New Mexico ever comes up? 

I am pretty sure it doesn’t. How do I know that? Because close to half of all oil and gas drilling permits issued by the Department of the Interior, by New Mexican Deb Haaland, in 2021 have gone to one State. What State is that? New Mexico—2,286 Federal oil and gas drilling permits; almost half of all of the permits in the country to one State. 

So here is the bottom line. Here is their view. Shut down Alaska, hurt working families in Alaska, supposedly, to help America’s climate goals, but then quietly say “drill, baby, drill” in New Mexico, with more permits by far than any other State in the country—almost 2,300. If that is not rank hypocrisy, I don’t know what is. 

So I am going to start asking questions about this and, by the way, so should the press. I sure hope our friends in the press think that, hmm, there is something a little strange going on here. Clearly, there is hypocrisy happening. But, you know, that happens here occasionally—or maybe more than occasionally. But is there anything else going on? 

And I hope the press in New Mexico ask their senior Senator why he is so darn focused on hurting the good people of Alaska—because I wouldn’t do that to New Mexican oil and gas workers or New Mexican Native communities.  

And finally, I am going to ask questions in another area. The Biden administration is clearly trying to shut down my State. It is there for everybody to see. Everybody back home knows it. But here is the thing. They can’t do it illegally, and they can’t do it unethically. And right now there is strong evidence that they are doing just that. What do I mean? Today, I sent this letter, that I would like to be printed in the record, to the inspector general of the Department of the Interior.

Here is what I am asking in this letter. There is very strong evidence that at least four senior political appointees at the Department of the Interior who have been involved in many of these 20 Executive orders and Executive actions shutting down my State were actually, in their previous jobs, working on the very same issues and advocating for the very same outcomes—meaning they are working with a special interest group to say shut down the Willow Project. 

And then when it came to the Interior, they are working on whether or not to shut down the Willow Project. Now, most of us know, if that is true, that is clearly illegal and clearly unethical.  

We have documented in this letter—four senior Department of the Interior officials, all of whom who are trying to shut down my State—and I think there is strong evidence that they are violating ethics laws and violating the law. So I have asked for a detailed investigation by the Department of the Interior inspector general into whether or not these individuals have violated federal ethics laws in their quest to hurt working families in my State. 

Let me conclude with this. I am a supporter of responsible resource development in America of all of the above: energy, wind, solar, oil, gas—in every part of our great country, in Alaska, of course, in New Mexico—all across our great land. And I am a supporter of the great men and women who do this in Alaska and New Mexico and Texas and North Dakota. 

What is happening in my State right now, this is just wrong, and I am going to fight it. And any other Senator who would be going through what my State is going through, with your constituents being harmed, you would be down on the floor fighting it, too. 

The vast majority of the U.S. Senators here—Democrats and Republicans—I think deep down in their hearts know that this is just wrong. You don’t come in with a new administration and say, “Hey, let me target one State and beat the heck out of their working families.” It is just wrong. 

And I am hopeful that my colleagues here—and I am asking them because we need the help. I have great people I represent—proud, tough people, but you can’t fight the whole damn federal government when they are focused on shutting you down. So I am hopeful that my colleagues—all of my colleagues—I will share the list of the 20—that you can help me get the Biden administration and some misguided hypocritical U.S. Senators to enact a cease‑fire in their war on working families and Native communities in the great State of Alaska.

102 COMMENTS

  1. He is reading the tea leaves and frantically trying to portray himself as an America First senator, when his votes clearly spell RINO. Nice try

    • You’re out of line. The Senate, the House, for that matter, your city council are places where divergent interests find ways to accomplish matters by consensus. You don’t get anything accomplished for the people you represent by not compromising here or there. I also suggest that not all Alaskans agree on any one issue.

      Also, be careful and skeptical of all sources, especially any that state things in exciting ways agreeing with your emotions.

  2. Too bad Sullivan voted FOR Deb Haaland. His credibility is zero. Our economy is suffering because our congressional delegation sucks.

  3. Thank you for printing this, Suzanne. I am proud of Dan for calling it out. It is plain evil and unAmerican. I am surprised he didn’t say, “Here we have the administration shutting down oil in Alaska yesterday, and today begging countries who hate us to drill for more oil so we can send them money to buy it from them.”
    Geez, they hated us for free in 2019. We don’t need to pay them now!

  4. “After watching her nomination hearings closely and having had close to three hours of meetings with her myself, I have concluded that a “yes” vote is more likely than a “no” vote to create the opportunity to build a relationship with her and her team, a relationship that could enable me to influence the Department of the Interior’s decisions and action on critical Alaska issues that could benefit our state, like moving forward on the Willow project, which is estimated to create thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars in revenue to the State of Alaska and North Slope Borough”. bwahahahahahah
    “Here is what I am asking in this letter. There is very strong evidence that at least four senior political appointees at the Department of the Interior who have been involved in many of these 20 Executive orders and Executive actions shutting down my State were actually, in their previous jobs, working on the very same issues and advocating for the very same outcomes—meaning they are working with a special interest group to say shut down the Willow Project”. Asleep Dan? And to scared to say the name of the Senior Senator? Without Alaskan oil there might be a Vaseline shortage.

    • You’re worried about a vaseline shortage? Get a life man. This is how the Senate works and Dan is a master at it – for the people of Alaska. Showing respect is how to get things done – and if you read the article, Dan does mention the “senior Senator from New Mexico” – that is how they address each other in the Senate. There is no need – everyone there knows who he is talking about – Senator Heinrich. And to give a speech on the floor of the Senate directly accusing Heinrich of illegal activity and ethics violations qualifies as a full frontal assault. No fear here.

  5. Admirable for your indigenous constituents, senator Dan. I believe your style is called ‘leading from the rear’. Being in the front lines against these and other radical policies, including spending those trillions that you voted for and we don’t have must be exhausting. Now, the consequences of yours, Lisa’s and Don’s votes are coming right at the people you claim to represent. How does that feel? Good thing it’s not an election season for you with all this fresh on everyones’ plates. Lisa isn’t so lucky there. Sooner than later for her and Don. The results of Alaska’s ‘representative’ voting for insanity didn’t take very long. It is just getting started and will only get worse. Exponentially. Are you “spitting mad”? Have you lost any of your paychecks or business/investment opportunities as a result of your votes? Your constituents, all your constituents, have lost. They have lost their faith and confidence in you three.

  6. Yawn, snooze. Another floor speech by Senator Dan made when nobody was in the Senate chamber, nobody was listening, and nobody cares. He makes one of these speeches every few weeks to pretend like he is effective.

    • Ever visited the Senate? They all know – even if they weren’t physically present – and many were. This was a powerful speech. Go get ’em Dan. If you snoozed through this one you weren’t listening to start with.

  8. Well, I like that he has finally grown a spine for the people he represents. That should have come about when Deb Haaland was being confirmed. She has stated in the past that Alaska Natives ar spoiled and have gotten roo much! I know he and Murkowski decided they had made a deal with the she-devil, but wrestling in the mud with pigs is never a good look, cuz they like getting dirty and you lose. That being said, we will see how the spine-growing goes and if it includes the other people you represent as well, that are hurting too.

  9. It’s nice to see the unblemished truth coming out. It may not do any good but it’s nice to hear. it’s too bad we couldn’t unearth some smoking gun emails between all these appointees.

  10. Sullivan is part of the problem on these things. When confirming Halland for BLM he created the stoppage of the things Alaska is good at especially the Oil Production. I wrote him to air my displeasure of her nomination and he Voted to Confirm anyway. Why do you think New Mexico isn’t having the same issues she is from New Mexico.

    • News Flash!

      The Biden administration would have found a Secretary of the Interior. Eventually. Probably someone even worse.

      Haaland is apparently not so anti-drilling that some permits haven’t been signed.

      Simple arithmetic…Alaska is a Republican state with few electoral votes. Of course a Dem admin will put the screws to us. It’s a cheap way to tell their constituents they are doing something

      • That is probably the absolute worst argument that I have heard all year. Congratulations! Truly an impressive accomplishment!

      • Yep. It bought higher taxes, a worse economy, more Marxism, less individual liberty, more environmental wacko crap, and less oil exploration and production.

      • That’s gotta be the worst possible argument in Sullivan’s defense. Because he only cast one vote, he’s not responsible for the vote? And what happens when 51 Senators all cast their *ONE* vote? You get a majority, and a crappy choice for Interior Secretary is elected.

  11. Yesterday it was boom and today it’s barnburner. Dan is making some great headlines on MRAK. Well in the spirit of not wanting to appear ungrateful, great speech Dan. Get’r done, we are treading water up North. Alaska is ment to be a park, until Walker and Brandon can make a smooth transition to Chinese ownership.

  12. Big Dan…..you reading the comments from MRAK? You’re getting paid to be proactive on these issues.

    Freedom and Liberty Alaska, It’s time to put those concepts ahead special interests.

  13. Funny, when I brought DECADES of clearly unethical and clearly illegal labor practices by US Fish and Wildlife Service (part of the Department of the Interior) to the attention of Senator Dan Sullivan multiple times, his office refused to launch any investigations. Decades of systemically cheating hundreds of Alaska employees out of their lawful wages did not merit an investigation. However, I was told by the Department of Justice, Anchorage office, that if those being cheated out of their wages were Alaskan Natives, there would have been an investigation – so, non-natives tough luck, we don’t care. Face it Alaska, non-natives are second class citizens in their own state. If you are native and have a gripe you go to the front of the line with our federal representative and senators, non-natives go to the back of the bus and keep quiet.

  14. Wow, Dan, AWESOME speech! I was cheering. I thought Obama was bad about targeting Alaska, but Biden’s like a wrecking ball. Well said, and I sure hope the rest were listening. I was pinned to my seat. Well done, Senator.

    Suzanne, thank you so much for sharing this.

    • Not weak – this is how you give a speech that respects the rest of his colleagues in the Senate – any stronger language and no one would listen. The key is respect, which many of these commenters don’t understand.

      • Yes, we’re all well aware of how our honorable Senators will, in your words: ‘give a speech that respects the rest of his colleagues’, how our honorable Senators will ‘reach across the aisle in a gesture of comity’ to their fellow Senators, and how our honorable Senators participate in all the other ‘vaunted traditions of the Senate’– it’s these ‘vaunted traditions’ that have saddled us with 29 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. Yes indeedy, sometimes a feller can’t help but get choked up a bit and become a little misty-eyed over those ‘vaunted traditions’ of the Senate. You condescendingly say: ‘The key is respect, which many of these commenters don’t understand.’ After his ‘barnburner speech’, Heinrich gave Sullivan a good ass-chewing on the Senate floor– in a gesture of ‘respect’, no doubt. Sullivan is weak. We can no longer afford ‘weak’.

  19. Good speech by Senator Sullivan. It is a speech that Lisa Murkowski would never give even though she is proud she is on the ‘energy’ committee.

    Still cannot believe Senator Sullivan was enticed to vote for that phony ‘infrastructure’ pork spending bill. Guess Dan was thinking he was ‘just bringing home the bacon’. Trouble is, the rate the democrats are adding to the national debt, our grand children will see a bankrupt country.

    Stay the course, Dan! You are fighting people who have no regard for Alaska or our country. That ‘infrastructure’ bill you voted for gave the pathetic Biden regime a pyrrhic ‘victory’ and a lifeline to do even more harm. At least you had the sense, unlike Don Young, not to appear in a picture with Biden at the bill signing grinning like possessed goon. Time to go, Don!

  22. Hey Sully! How’s that bipartisanship approach working out? Maybe(???), if you and the other two R’s would stand as true conservatives, quit enabling this disastrous administration, see them for who they truly are (i.e. – The Enemy Within), then maybe us constituents would have more faith in the Ski, Sully, and Yung Team.

    • Try supporting and electing a veto-proof majority of true-cons in all states and all houses of congress, and you will get your wish. Where are you Rob? Put your money and your time behind your opinion.

  23. Sounds good, but it’s just more political theater. Damage Control Sullivan has no bark, just a whine; no bite, just a lot of lap dog tail wagging. He’s on his knees, pathetically begging. All he’s going to get, all he’s asking for, from his fellow senators is lip service.
    –
    He complains of hypocrisy? Next opportunity, when he should be using every legal recourse to fight the Biden administration, tooth and claw, he will turn around and confirm any and all EnviroNazi political appointees again.
    –
    Sullivan is just being the very same Sullivan many Alaskans have come to know and love. Sullivan is one of the good old boys. One of the perpetual losers all the good old boys and girls keep voting for. If they look like you, talk like you, and do as you would do, you will vote for them.
    –
    Too few Alaskan’s vote according to merit and skill; and too many never learn from experience. Alaska has gotten whom was voted for. Now complain when you reap the whirlwind?

  25. Who ever writes his speeches is pretty good but Sullivan can’t deliver them in every speech I’ve seen of his he sounds like a robot

  26. Nice words, but maybe you should’t have voted to confirm the person who is (and at the time easily predicted to be) responsible for most of this: Deb Haaland.

  27. Sullivan, your political theatre is a little too little and a little too late. I am never voting for you again. You sat back while the election was clearly stolen from Donald Trump. You have continually sucked up to Murkowski. You are weak. You are not a leader. Not a good one, at least. Some need to lead. Some need to follow. Dan Sullivan, you need to get out of the way.

  28. If Dan is so pissed off at Beijing Biden, then why did he seem so buddy, buddy with him in a picture in the Oval Office a few days ago. Hypocritical optics, Senator!

  29. Wow. Dan showed some skin. Good for him. I know there are a lot of Dan haters on here that was a two little too late or he just come out from underneath his Rock because now you can say things like this because it won’t make any difference blah blah blah. Every word that Dan said is true regardless of when he said it. At the very least he got it on the record. Brandon’s numbers aren’t real great right now and they are worried about those. Now is the time to strike Brandon while the iron is hot. Now is the time to take the reins back to this country. What we see today are black actors lying to the police about a hate crime. Isn’t that in fact a hate crime against whites? The many mistakes made by mandates are slowly being realized and are trying to be rectified while the perpetrators save face. The mob infesting the Anchorage assembly is on its way out. The clock is ticking on them. They have been found out and there is nowhere else to hide, no support. Anchorage needs to stand up to the socialists and tyrants and say we don’t want to do this anymore. It was fun and games for a while but this isn’t real life. You want to really turn Alaska around, stand with the Governor. Vote out the infestations happening in Dillingham at the house level, for that is the root of the evil squandering the PFD, trying to undo fairly win elections, and attempting to rule from the closet.

  32. Politicians our country could be so so awesome trump showed us all how easy it is to do the right thing for the people of the people by the people. All we need is oath takers who fear GOD and understand there awards are going to so so great the citizens will love them and GOD will love them. Oath integrity is all we need here. Stop being a clown and do your part oath takers.

  33. Where was Dan about 10 months ago when all this started? Alaska was on the chopping block about one hour into the Obiden regime’s whirlwind of executive orders. Liberals control the three west coast states, we’re in the crosshairs. They gain control through economic devastation.

  35. You know when the perfect time was, to air all these grievances? When Xiden wanted you to vote for his “Infrastructure” bill.
    .
    Right then, you should have walked to the microphone and made this speech, then said HELL NO I WILL NOT VOTE FOR THIS BILL!
    .
    Had that happened, we might feel more like you were a leader. Now? How’s that collar fit?

          • Editor? Really?!?!
            So anyway, they were sitting in the catbird seat and they ‘brought home’ 4/10 of 1%. At $5 bil. it ain’t worth all of the Marxism and shackles that go with it (A tough concept for a Demoncrat. I get that.).
            It reminds me of that most famous line from ‘A Man For All Seasons’.
            “It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world … but for Wales, Richard?”
            Really? To sell all of our souls in a bill that you could have stopped for 4/10 of 1%?

      • A couple billion less from the fed, but many more billions from a full TAPS. Many more billions from our natural resources.

  36. Trying to cheer on the workers rebuilding the the dam after you helped wash the town away?
    We’re so proud.

  38. Sen. Sullivan, thank you for standing up for Alaska, and thank you for calling out the senator from New Mexico for his hypocrisy. Now, may I remind you that our own Sen. Murkowski also seems dedicated to destroying the State of Alaska, as well? She voted to approve Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior, and she also has voted to support numerous Biden Administration policies that adversely affect oil and gas development in Alaska.

    • Voters and constituents may not realize that there’s a game to be played in Washington. Sometimes it takes years to learn the rules of the game. The moves and counter moves and everyone jockeying for a position. I can guarantee you that there is a plan. Sometimes the plan is to wait and see although that might not be popular for some impatient people on here. Dan’s not the type of guy just go in and hide in a closet somewhere. He may be in the closet and there may be a meeting going on in there but I can guarantee you wheels are turning things are in the works. Possibly the works might be months or years in the future. If you’re working day to day or week to week in Congress, you are way behind the rest of the pack. Usually you have to give a lot to get a little in Congress. Dan understands this because the game he plays is two steps forward and one step back.

      • Yeah, I should have read the comments before posting mine. I knew Murkowski did, but didn’t remember Sullivan did, too. Sigh…would be nice to have Congressional representation that, you know, actually *REPRESENTS* Alaska (what a concept).

      • That’s not how the game of politics has played. Most on here would fail miserably at it. It’s all about negotiating. Give and take. Hopefully has a politician you’re taking more than you’re giving.

        • Some things should not be on the table. It is called principles. Another thing principles should do is remind an elected representative that Alaska is part of the USA. Both should be considered in the vote even if all of the constituents never seem to remember that, but a vote for an Marxist environmentalist that salivates over destroying the kind of industry that we rely on is worthy of being tarred and feathered (much less voted out).

  39. Hey Dan, while the Communist laugh at you as you grovel, these criminals are doing Synthetic biology,
    Geoengineering,
    Transhumanism, and
    Terraforming while they’re setting up a financial system to monetize literally everything in the universe… Fox News will tell you about all of this, AFTER IT’S DONE!!!!!!!

      • Pandering seriously – where is Senator Murkowski on this whole situation??? Hold on…Alaskans should know that she’s usually too busy as her time is spent coordinating her Alaska Native jewelry with her daily outfits; which is generally seen on camera. That is her whole contribution to Native issues and Alaskans in general.

        • Judging by what Leftist Lisa does or does not do is horse hucky. This is about Sellout Sullivan and his votes that are bad for our state and our country.

  41. It’s not so much a swamp as a clogged toilet. Swamps collect water and collect nutrients. They serve as sponges to lessen flooding downstream. They serve as wildlife sanctuaries. Swamps, in their expired lives become peat for gardens. You see swamps are useful things.

    DC is a clogged toilet. The bowl overflowith containing matter of indescribable undesirables. Someone will have to roll up their sleeves and take one for the team. Run a snake into the dark waters or plunge the plunger down assuming the risk of back spray in order to dislodge the sticky matter. Once unclogged, the refuse swirls away. A few minutes to clean up the remaining mess with bleach and it will be done.

    My friends the time is upon us. It is time to for a professional who doesn’t mind dark waters and back spray. We have to flush it away.
    This August, don’t vote for the lesser of two evils… Vote for Freedom and Liberty. In November choose to vote your conscience over special interests that further clog the toilet. It’s time Alaska.

  43. Senator Sullivan, thank you for your remarks. If I could offer any criticism it would be to remind you that Joe Biden has not just declared war on Alaska, but the entire United States. It appears that the King of Corruption known as China Joe is a willing agent for a foreign power. This foreign country is led by a man known in his country as ” Big Daddy Xi”. It is my belief that Joe Biden was selected by the Chi- Coms for numerous reasons, but not the least being he is weak, corrupt, and craps his pants. This is their representation of America. Sound far fetched? Explain then how every decision Biden has made has weakened America and strengthened China. Explain how a Bio weapon coming from China is used to divide and weaken and ultimately to destroy the United States. Explain who is funding these massive southern border invasions.

    • Evan, like the trillions wasted on Public Education already need another token expenditure in something so silly that it gets named ” build back better”?
      BTW, didn’t you attend Public Schools? Thought so…

  44. You Helped him Mr senator by passing that fake infrastructure deal now they will pass the Build back broke bill thanks to you, and Murkowski, Young
    Your all traitors to this great state and USA please resign

  47. So many big words Danny
    You have been busy with your home work assignments and are finally passing them in , wow. To bad for you Danny there late and I will not read them! Your score is 0 and you have flunked 3rd grade again!!!

  48. Dan Sullivan in my opinion, is a democrat operative. Just watch how he votes, and when. If the dems really need his vote, they have it, if the dems don’t need his vote, then he votes against them. I don’t believe Mark Levin on his “conservative review” ever gave Senator Sullivan better than a “D”. No offense intended Suzanne.

    • You are correct. Voting for liberty, Sellout Sullivan has risen from a 54% F grade to a 57% F grade. I believe he got as high as 58%. We should be so proud. He is our top scorer out of the 3. Notso Young is 54% and Leftist Lisa is 29% – quite left even for a Demoncrat.

  49. What about your anti-Alaska anti-America flip flop on Pebble Sen. Spineless Sullivan? You let the CCP funded trout unlimited and NRDC own you and take a position that hurts the state and the nation in the worst way and let’s our enemy China benefit. You did it for political reasons. You need to watch how Don Young does things and emulate him to see how integrity works. You are shameful

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