Begich honored by colleagues for setting historic freshman record with 14 bills passed by US House

By SUZANNE DOWNING

Sept. 16, 2026 – Alaska Congressman Nick Begich III made congressional history this week, setting a record for the most sponsored bills passed by the US House by a freshman member of Congress.

To mark the historic occasion, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise presented Begich with a plaque recognizing the achievement, while House Majority Whip Tom Emmer added an Alaska touch to the occasion: Each measure was commemorated on a hockey puck.

The display was fitting, as Emmer played college hockey at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Begich’s office identified H.R. 6021, the Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Clarification Act, as his 14th sponsored measure to clear the House since he took office in January 2025.

The legislation passed by the House covers Alaska Native land rights, veterans’ allotments, energy development, military readiness, airport regulations, volcano monitoring, scientific research and other issues directly affecting Alaska.

The 14 Begich-sponsored measures are:

• H.R. 42 — Alaska Native Settlement Trust Eligibility Act
• H.R. 43 — Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025
• H.R. 41 — Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act
• H.R. 410 — Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025
• H.R. 1368 — DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act
• H.R. 2815 — Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2025
• H.R. 3176 — National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System legislation
• H.R. 3620 — Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act
• H.R. 3903 — Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act
• H.R. 5131 — Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025
• H.R. 6427 — Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025
• H.J.Res. 106 — Resolution overturning the Central Yukon Record of Decision
• H.J.Res. 131 — Resolution overturning the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision
• H.R. 6021 — Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Clarification Act

The hockey-puck display also included two Senate-originated measures associated with Begich’s work in the House: S.J.Res. 80, concerning the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, and S. 254, the ARTIST Act. Begich sponsored the House companion to the ARTIST Act and helped advance the Senate version through the House.

Begich thanked the House leaders and committee chairmen who helped move the bills, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Scalise, Emmer, Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, Science Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves.

“Thank you for your support!” Begich wrote in a social media post.

The record offers a sharp contrast with Begich’s predecessor, Mary Peltola.

Peltola got no legislation passed into law, missed 235 of 1,370 House roll-call votes during her two years in Congress, or 17.2%, placing her among the chamber’s most frequently absent members.

Begich, by comparison, has used his first term to move a broad collection of Alaska measures through the House while building relationships with leaders and powerful committee chairmen.