ICYMI: Nick Begich Delivers for Alaska Natives, Passes 13th Bill
Yesterday, Congressman Nick Begich once again delivered for Alaska Natives. Begich’s legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives, authorizes the Alaska Native communities of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell eligibility to receive benefits under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Congressman Begich “has now pushed 13 bills through the U.S. House of Representatives, adding another item to what has become an unsurpassed legislative record for any freshman congressman in history.”
“Congressman Nick Begich continues to put Alaska first by delivering commonsense wins. This Begich-led legislation once again demonstrates his commitment to standing up for Alaska Natives across the state.” — NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from The Alaska Story here or see excerpts below:
Breaking: Congressman Nick Begich gets a baker’s dozen, as his 13th bill passes House
The Alaska Story
Suzanne Downing
June 2, 2026
Just 17 months into his first term in Congress, Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has now pushed 13 bills through the US House of Representatives, adding another item to what has become an unsurpassed legislative record for any freshman congressman in history.
On Tuesday, the House passed HR 41, the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act, a measure aimed at correcting what many Alaska Native leaders have viewed as a flaw in the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
The bill would authorize the creation of urban Native corporations for five Southeast Alaska communities that were left out of ANCSA’s original framework: Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee Springs, and Wrangell.
For decades, Alaska Natives in those communities have been known as the “landless” because they were excluded from receiving lands and forming urban corporations when ANCSA was implemented more than 50 years ago.
[…]
Former Congressman Don Young introduced versions of the measure eight separate times during his nearly 50 years in office. Former Congresswoman Mary Peltola introduced the legislation twice during her tenure. Neither could get the legislation through the House.
That makes Begich the 3rd member of Congress to carry the effort for Alaska. But this is the first time the measure has actually cleared the House.
[…]
The bill is structured to preserve existing Native corporation entitlements and maintain revenue-sharing agreements already in place among Southeast Native corporations. Shareholders in the new urban corporations would continue receiving distributions through the regional Native corporation structure.
The legislation now heads to the US Senate, where supporters hope it can finally complete a journey that began more than half a century ago.
For Begich, the vote marks his 13th bill passed by the House in 18 is a baker’s dozen of measures now tossed over the Capitol wall to the Senate for consideration.
Whether the Senate acts remains to be seen. But after 50 years of waiting, the five Southeast communities are closer than ever to receiving the recognition their advocates say should have come with ANCSA in the first place.