Begich Doubles Down, Calls Ripping Away Alaskans’ Health Care a “Transformative Victory”

He also said he was “honored” to vote for the bill and claims he secured “a transformative victory” for Alaska.

DCCC Spokesperson Anna Elsasser:
“Nick Begich is vocal and proud of his vote to devastate tens of thousands of Alaskans. When your representative has ‘no doubt’ and is ‘honored’ to rip health care and food assistance away from working families, vulnerable children and seniors, it’s time to get a new one. Just shameful.”

Read for yourself…

• The bill is set to extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy and make massive cuts to social safety net programs, including Medicaid and food assistance.
• Begich said he was “honored” to vote for the bill…Begich declined an interview request.
• In Alaska, where one in three residents rely on Medicaid, health care advocates have said thousands could lose coverage.

• Nick Begich, celebrated the passage and touted that the state stands to gain much from the bill in what he called a “transformative victory.”
• [The bill makes]…deep reductions to social safety net programs, such as Medicaid and [SNAP]. It also lifts the nation’s debt ceiling by $5 trillion.
• “Nearly 70,000 Alaskans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and these cuts will worsen food insecurity, especially in rural and seasonal worker communities.”
• “You can’t tell families in Bethel, Mat-Su, and the Kenai that this is good policy when their heating costs go up and their clinics close.”

• “There was no doubt I was going to vote for this bill…when this bill came back from the Senate, I was enthusiastically supporting it, and I told others in the House that this is an important priority for us,” Begich said.
• Asked whether he thinks Alaska will be entirely shielded from the effects of [Medicaid and SNAP] cuts, Begich implied that the answer is no.

• Congressman Nick Begich…voted yes on what’s been dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” In a statement following the vote, Begich called the legislation a “transformative victory” for Alaska, saying it “delivers for hardworking Alaskans.”

###