After nearly 24 straight hours of political wrangling, tense negotiations, and a record-setting filibuster-style speech by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, House Republicans on Thursday passed a domestic policy bill that not only delivers a legislative victory for President Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans, but has big wins for Alaska. It will head to the desk of President Trump, who will likely sign it before the end of the day on July 4.
It’s a massive achievement for Trump, who has been in office for only 164 days in this term.
In fact, less than one year ago — on July 13, 2024 — Trump was shot while on stage at a rally in Butler, Penn.
Today, he has gotten his legislative priority package through both houses of Congress.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy lauded the bill as a win for Alaska:
“The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill is a huge win for Alaska. It puts up to 70% of Cook Inlet and ANWR oil revenues back into our state, restarts lease sales, and invests over $4 billion in Arctic infrastructure — including homeporting our first polar icebreaker. This is the kind of policy that secures Alaska’s future. Thank you to our congressional delegation for delivering for Alaskans,” Dunleavy said.
The 218–214 vote capped a dramatic week of behind-the-scenes and public bargaining and long nights on Capitol Hill.
The bill — Trump’s top domestic legislative priority — represents a bold conservative vision for the nation and includes changes in energy, education, immigration, and spending.
What’s in the One Big Beautiful Bill it for Alaska?
For Alaska, the legislation is particularly beneficial, in spite of what Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been handwringing over. Among the most impactful provisions are:
The bill includes measures to fast-track oil and gas permitting on federal lands and offshore leases, including in the Arctic. That could be a boon for Alaska’s economy.
Alaska stands to gain from increased funding for rural road projects, broadband expansion, and port infrastructure.
The bill expands school choice and education savings accounts, which could empower parents in Alaska to access more customized educational options, especially in underserved or remote areas.
Congressman Nick Begich III noted these benefits for Alaska, saying “Today, the Republican-led Congress sent the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the President’s desk, and with it a blueprint for Alaska’s self-determined future. I am honored to serve and deliver for the state we love:”
— Resource Development: Mandatory lease sales open more than 30 million acres in ANWR, the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska, and Cook Inlet. Alaska will receive a greater share of federal royalties than ever before, strengthening the Permanent Fund and future dividend payments.
— Tax Relief: Overtime and tips are no longer taxed, small businesses can fully depreciate expenses immediately, and the Trump tax cuts are made permanent. Seniors on Social Security benefit from new deductions.
— Border Security: Over $100 billion in funding will equip Border Patrol agents and deploy advanced technology to stop fentanyl before it reaches Alaska’s communities.
— Infrastructure and Safety: The bill includes the largest Coast Guard appropriation in U.S. history, funding 16 new Arctic-class icebreakers and upgrading key ports. An additional $12.5 billion is dedicated to modernizing air traffic control systems.
— Rural Health Care: Medicaid integrity reforms ensure support for the truly vulnerable, and new investments in rural hospitals aim to protect access to care across Alaska.
Begich said that it’s a transformative victory for Alaska.
“This bill solidifies Alaska’s position as a cornerstone of our nation’s energy future, mandating lease sales of at least 1.6 million acres in ANWR, 20 million acres in NPR-A, and at least 6 million acres in Cook Inlet — growing Alaska’s royalties on these lands by 40 percent getting us one step closer to fulfilling the promise guaranteed to us at Statehood. These leases will unlock tens of billions in investment, generate thousands of high-paying jobs, and restore Alaska’s right to produce. This bill also codifies a 25% increase in timber harvests on federal lands, providing our long-sought pathway for Alaska’s forest economy,” he said.
The bill will help secure the border with over $100 billion for the wall and enforcement capabilities to stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and restore the rule of law, Begich said.
“It also invests in our Alaska-based military infrastructure to reinforce our nation’s position of strength. And for our skies, this bill invests $12.5 billion to upgrade our Air Traffic Control systems – a critical investment for aviation safety,” he continued.
“The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers for hardworking Alaskans. It makes permanent tax cuts for families and small businesses, eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, and enacts common-sense reforms to strengthen safety net programs by protecting the vulnerable while ensuring greater accountability. For our seniors, the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers much needed relief with a significant tax deduction on their Social Security taxes,” Begich said.
“The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers on the America First mandate given to us last November. Alaska has always led the way, and today, we lead again with strength and a renewed purpose that our resource rich state will unlock prosperity and strength for all America. With the passage of this bill, we are restoring strength, reviving growth, and respecting the values that have made our nation so remarkable. The One Big Beautiful Bill lays the foundation for Alaska’s future and renews our hope in the American dream,” he said. “A safer, stronger, more prosperous America.”
The bill passed with no Democratic support. Only two Republican — Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky — broke ranks to oppose the legislation, citing concerns over fiscal responsibility and the legislative process. In the end, even Rep. Thomas Massie voted in favor of the bill, which he had opposed until the last minute.
House Speaker Mike Johnson led a relentless push to secure the needed votes, aided by direct involvement from President Trump, who reportedly called lawmakers individually from the White House residence throughout the night.
Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attempted to delay the final vote with a marathon floor speech that lasted over eight hours. It was an exercise in hypocrisy: In 2021, when Republicans filibustered, Jeffries, who was an ally of former Rep. Mary Peltola, is on record calling that tactic racist:
Mazel Tov, lechaim, good blessings to all Americans, bless President Trump. Helluva way to celebrate Americas independence from tyranny.
37,000+ Alaskans lose access to their healthcare.
27,000+ lose access to food assistance.
578 energy jobs will disappear.
Seems bad!
Please provide credible proof of these statistics. Thank you.
“…….37,000+ Alaskans lose access to their healthcare………”
Why doesn’t the Affordable Care Act fail to provide health care to these Alaskans?
May I ask how you derived those numbers? I’m curious.
Prove it…..
My dude the internet is at your disposal you can put in the work yourself
Sorry doesn’t work that way HS!
You made that claim, now provide your sources. These days ANYONE can put ANYTHING on the internet, doesn’t mean it is true or accurate…..
So the ball is in your court Dude!
The internets told me about this thing called Brandolini’s law, it states that the amount of energy needed to refute BS is an order of magnitude bigger than that needed to produce it.
Yeah, all the illegal aliens,!
No ones losing their “healthcare”. Good grief, people arent going to be banned from an Urgent Care nor a Hospital. Able bodied people are no longer receiving a free ride. As for the SNAP reforms, thats a good thing. And energy exploration/development is growing.
Why do you people insist on being wrong?
This bill is a disaster. It will be the benchmark the opposition uses to describe why Republicans are not fit to lead. Why? Republicans have abandoned any desire to have a balanced budget. Republicans just voted to increased our national debt by trillions of dollars at a time when we pay record a record amount in interest payments- about one trillion per year AND the rating agencies have downgraded the US credit rating due to debt now being a 120 percent of GDP.
The debt is going to increase, as are the interest payments. The fiscal disaster is only going to get harder to solve, and we can now expect significant, runaway inflation as the feds will need to pay off the debt and interest with devalued dollars.
We saw the disaster that unfolded when Democrats were in charge. They voted for massive bill with a multi trillion dollar price tag, and we saw the US dollar devalued by 20% under the demented Joe Biden and crazy Nanci Peolsi.
Trump is destroying Republican values, and we have now lost our moral authority on the debt, and fiscal restraint.
Really?
I’ve listened to this handwringing and pearl clutching since the mid 1980’s.
The Debt we’ve incurred is because we got away from a Mercantilist economy – export than you import – in the last 40 years – thank the NeoCon Bushes and the Progressives for that.
The Free Trade, Open Borders, Endless War crowd are at the root of all our problems.
Ross Perot, Patrick Buchanan, Howard Phillips tried to y’all.
Amazingly this bill “only” adds about 10-20% what was added during the Obama/Biden/Harris administration, I remember you decrying all of those multiple TRILLION dollar annual deficits…oh wait I don’t remember that happening at all. This bill adds approximately $300,000,000.00 per year, which is a far cry from the multiple TRILLIONS per year that have been added to the debt. The $300,000,000.00 will also largely be offset by the tariffs. The crazy part is if they would have cut more spending the bill wouldn’t have passed. Should we stop spending money we don’t have, absolutely and this is a step in in that direction.
The only thing Trump is destroying of the Republicans is their failures over the last few decades. The Republican Party lost its way starting in the 1980s, and Trump is getting it back on track, finally.
With the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) one can only marvel over the astounding accomplishments of President Trump in less than six months in office. In foreign policy, he brokered peace settlements for two wars, ensured Iran would not have nuclear bombs, ensured NATO countries will pay their dues, used tariffs to negotiate fair trade deals and on and on. Domestically, as Suzanne pointed out, the BBB is great for Alaska. In many areas, Trump has already checked off a slew of campaign promises he ran on. The ‘hits keep on coming’.
All of these successes by Trump points out an ominous condition that democrats find themselves in. They are mired in extreme positions that 80% of Americans oppose such as bio men in women sports, transgender mutilation of children, supporting a futile war in Ukraine, opposing the deportation of criminal & violent illegal aliens and so forth. The keep doubling down on them. democrats are bereft of cogent ideas and are now being led by likes of AOC, Crockett, Pelosi, Bernie and similar lunatics.
On the state level, how can anyone continue to call themselves ‘proud democrats’? The local democrats are lashed to a party that is nothing more than continuous chaos. But that is what happened to the once proud Whig Party that came to a sudden extinction. They became totally irrelevant to those that once supported them. democrats are speedily on their way to that outcome.
The extra $25 billion for rural health facilities extracted by Senator Murkowski will effectively guarantee construction of one or more new ten-story buildings on the campus along Tudor Road. Few non-Natives will have any knowledge as to what goes on there but that is kinda the idea. (Does Lisa think that the “process” that led to this rake-off was “awful”?)
Similarly, Senator Sullivan will crow about all the new enhancements of missile defense. As to what exactly those enhancement might be or where they might be located will remain classified. Few Alaskans will experience any direct benefit.
Will all the new polar icebreakers be stationed in Seattle?
In fairness, the oil and gas leasing stuff is promising but the threat is that after the 2028, a new regime will cancel everything. Not a promising investment climate.
No wonder Congress approval rate is 9%. I was going to write that there will be huge blue wave as Democrats run footage of the cowardly votes and lies. That should be enough. But the republicans whose ethics have been replaced with dishonesty are a clever band. Dirty tricks, procedural nincompoopery and, apparently, stroking the poorly educated and gullible Fox teat suckers.
Somehow it worked for republicans. They have the Supreme Court, congress and the budget bill, the executive branch – Hegseth, Noem, Gabbard, even the billionaire class. Remember the most prominent standouts at inauguration budget bill? It wasn’t you. Trump could easily start a civil war.
JMARK–one of the icebreakers will be homeported in Juneau, Alaska. As I recall, the money for the rural hospitals will go towards saving five (?) of the hospitals in small towns that will be devastated by the cuts to Medicaid.
Actually you’re wrong here. We can’t go “cold turkey” on spending. After Bidenomics, we were left with high inflation and crippled. We have to front funding (get fuel in simple terms) to get our economic engine started and running. With the tariffs being settled, Doge, and tax cuts to spur businesses, we can cut spending in the very near future as our economy becomes self sustaining and eventually profitable.
Whatever the Jim Jordan says
Thank you, Suzanne Downing, for providing your tremendous writing style to boil-down the meat and potatoes contained in this Bill so that we don’t have to read all 1000 pages of it. So much for Americans to be thankful for in this Bill. Border security, new sources of energy for America without ridiculous regulation, more revenue for those who rely on tips, better roads for America. Less LGBTQ, less wokeism, no more critical race theory, less environmental idiocy, climate action reversal. All the crap Democrats love heading for the toilet.
.
Thank you Trump, Begich, Dunleavy, Sullivan, and yes, even Murkowski. And, thank you again, Suzanne.
I don’t ever want to hear another conservative claim that the Republicans are the party of fiscal responsibility. This bill is an abortion.
It’s also adds to the debt a small fraction of the amount seen under the Obama/Biden/Harris administration and represents a drastic cut in spending. I remember you also decrying all of those multiple TRILLION dollar annual deficits…oh wait I don’t remember that happening at all.
I deplore any increase in the deficit by any administration, regardless of the party. However, Republicans have always touted themselves as having tight pursestrings. The problem is this couldn’t be further from the truth. Also, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Trump is the president now. That is unless you think the last election was rigged.
why would you thank Dunleavy? Dunleavy went on Fox news in May to brag about how successful Alaska is with the 80 billion dollar PFD fund. Yet his administration cannot even administer SNAP funds properly. Murkowski and Sullivan needed to negotiate a deal for Alaska. It is sad that other legislators were willing to reward the failure of the Dunleavy administration to buy votes. Makes you wonder about all the deals that go into these bills.