It has been a productive year for Alaska in Congress. Possibly a historic year.
Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has had more legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump than any other member of Congress in 2025, despite being sworn into office less than a year ago. That’s one Begich bill every two months being signed by the president.
His fifth bill of the year was signed Friday in Mar a Lago by Trump, extending Begich’s freshman-year legislative record.
The newly enacted measure, H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025, extends the deadline for eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans or their heirs to apply for and select land under the federal land allotment program. The law was signed two days before the application period would have expired, moving the deadline from Dec. 29, 2025, to Dec. 29, 2030.
Begich credited Sen. Dan Sullivan for working hard to get companion legislation passed through the Senate.
“With the President’s signature, we are fulfilling a decades-old promise to Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans who were logistically prevented from accessing land allotment opportunities for Alaska natives made available during their military service overseas. Under the Biden Administration, selections were slow-rolled or denied, preventing veterans and their families from receiving these lands. Thank you to Sen. Dan Sullivan for his work in the Senate getting this across the finish line before the end of 2025 and for championing this issue for many years. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to extend this vital program,” Begich said.
The program allows eligible veterans to select up to 160 acres of federal land in Alaska, but many were unable to complete the process due to administrative delays, limited outreach, and the remote nature of available parcels. The extension provides the Bureau of Land Management additional time to process applications and resolve long-standing backlogs.
The legislation addresses inequities affecting approximately 1,900 eligible Alaska Native veterans who served in Vietnam between 1964 and 1971 and later missed allotment deadlines rooted in federal land policies dating back to 1912, when Alaska became a territory and the land allotments were originally established for Natives.
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H.R. 410 passed the House of Representatives in July, cleared the Senate on Dec. 19, and was signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 26.
Other Begich-sponsored bills signed into law in 2025
In addition to H.R. 410, four other Begich-led measures became law earlier this year, with a focus on Alaska Native land rights, veterans’ protections, and federal land management:
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H.J. Res. 106 – Disapproval of the Central Yukon Resource Management Plan
Signed Dec. 11, 2025. The resolution overturned a Biden-era Bureau of Land Management rule restricting access to more than 13 million acres in Interior Alaska, restoring multiple-use land management. -
H.J. Res. 131 – Disapproval of the ANWR Coastal Plain Rule
Signed Dec. 11, 2025. The legislation reversed a federal rule blocking oil and gas development on 1.16 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain. - H.R. 43 – Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025
Signed July 7, 2025. The law allows Alaska Native village corporations to retain subsurface rights to certain lands rather than being required to convey them to municipal governments. This will allow them to develop resources and create jobs and housing, rather than have governments sit on the resources.
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H.R. 42 – Alaska Native Settlement Trust Eligibility Act
Signed July 7, 2025. This law prevents certain settlement trust payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives from disqualifying recipients from federal assistance programs such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income. This means low-income elderly and blind Natives will no longer have to make the decisions between receiving Alaska Native corporation shareholder distributions and being eligible for programs such as Medicaid or housing assistance. CongressmanBegich introduced the bill on his first day of office in January; it was similar to a bill that former Rep. Mary Peltola had introduced but failed to get passed. This bill started with the late-congressman Don Young back in the 116th Congress in 2016.“This is a victory for some of Alaska’s most vulnerable: Elders, those living with disabilities and those who are blind,” Rep. Begich said. “H.R. 42 protects the benefits they have rightfully earned, allowing them to maintain their independence and dignity while continuing to receive the support of their Alaska Native corporations.”
Several additional Begich-sponsored bills passed the House and remain pending further congressional action in the Senate.
Begich gets three more Alaska bills through House, for total of 10 this year
